On Boxers Who Come Back Too Soon
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
When a rising prospect or an established contender tries to come back too soon after a devastating loss, the consequences can often be less than anticipated. In fact, the fighter will eventually regain their technical level of expertise to a great extent over time, if the fighter truly is of talented ability. However, trying to make a comeback too soon after a big loss can prove more difficult than not.
Two recent fighters and fights immediately come to mind: middleweight David Lemieux and light middleweight Delvin Rodriguez in their fights with Haitian Canadian Joachim Alcine. As evidence, Alcine was beaten in the first round by Alfredo Angulo in 2010, and was again beaten in the first round by Matthew Macklin in 2013. Besides Macklin, between 2012 and 2013, ALcine lost five consecutive bouts to Brian Rose (TKO by 12), Julian Williams (Lose 8), Omar Chavez (Lose 10), and Francisco Santana (Lose 10). After losing to Angulo, Alcine drew with Jose Medina (Draw 8).
Alcine, at 35-7-2, 21 knockouts, 38 years old, Laval, Quebec, Canada, is far past his prime. Alcine had the key advantage of facing Lemieux and Rodriguez immediately after their devastating losses. Lemieux, dropped and stopped in Canada by top rated Marco Antonio Rubio in April 2011, was unable to defeat Alcine eight months later, losing a 12 round majority decision to Alcine in December 2011 for the WBC International Middleweight title. Rodriguez, after getting stopped by Miguel Cotto in three rounds in October 2013, fought Alcine in Quebec at 154 pounds and could manage only a draw with a 38 year old Alcine in May 2014 over 10 rounds. Another way of looking at it is Alcine-at times-is a magnificent spoiler.
Lemieux vs Alcine December 2011 in Canada (commentary in French)
Rodriguez vs Alcine May 2014 in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5uGRishllw
While Lemieux and Rodriguez continue their careers, rematches with Alcine are unlikely. Such an inability to win is an accurate indicator of fighters, who despite their promise, for one reason or another have always fallen short of the mark at the key moments of their career.
Sometimes, a fighter never recovers or comes back to win. Perhaps the greatest fall witnessed in my long career as a boxing journalist was Jorge ‘Kid Dynamita’ Morales of California, who lost his NABF Lightweight title to rising future world champion Ray ‘Boom-Boom’ Mancini.
Ray Mancini versus Jorge Morales, Part II, June 1981, Kiamesha Lake, New York
Between 1982 and 1988, Morales lost his last 20 fights in a row, with Rodolfo ‘El Gato’ Gonzalez kayoing him in the first round to finally end his career for good. After the Mancini loss (a ninth round stoppage), Morales lost to contenders Jose Luis Ramirez (Lose 10), Andy Nance (Lose 10), Ruben Castillo (Lose 10), Kenny Lopez (Lose 10), Darryl Tyson (Lose 10), and journeyman Martin Quiroz (Lose 10), and could never get his career back on track, getting knocked out or stopped 15 times as well before giving up.
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