Boxing

 

"Golden Boy" Donny Lalonde Begins Comeback In October

By Ed Ludwig

26.08 - The road back for the original "Golden Boy" Donny Lalonde (38-4-1 32 KO's) begins on October 2nd in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion has been away from the ring since May 1998 when he defeated Kevin Pompey. With only five fights in the last ten years it will be a slow and difficult road back.

Lalonde has been plagued by hand and shoulder trouble throughout most of his boxing career. He credits alternative medicine, active release therapy to be more specific. It is a form of soft tissue treatment that has put him in the position to make a return. At 42 years of age he is hoping to challenge for a title within the next two years. It's good to see that Lalonde is not resting on his laurels and he is willing to work hard to make his return a successful one.

His first opponent is still yet to be announced but you can bet it will be a soft touch. With his age and inactivity it will be some time before he challenges someone in the top thirty. Time will tell where Lalonde will be and time is not what he has a lot of. Comebacks more often then not end in failure and the odds of him becoming a contender are very slim.

One advantage Lalonde has that he did not before is that he is now a two handed fighter whereas he was primarily a one handed fighter before leaving boxing in 1998. He believes he can accomplish more now. The question I have, is it worth the risk? There is no harm in trying but knowing when to quit once and for all is a problem many fighters have.

Donny Lalonde has become a very good businessman and invested his career earnings very well. He earned five million dollars against Sugar Ray Leonard and that was more then he made in all of his fights put together. During his time away from the ring he stayed involved with boxing. He was a one-time advisor of "Cowboy" Dale Brown and a commentator for the occasional televised boxing card.

Winbox is the new promotion formed by Lalonde and his business partner, Harry Black. They plan to bring boxing back to Winnipeg where they will develop and showcase young up and comers. The "Golden Boy" has done it all, the one time Vancouver paperboy went on to become one of the best boxers to come out of Canada and after his second tour of duty so to speak he plans on getting into alternative medicine and become a licensed practitioner.

Lalonde splits his time between his home in British Columbia and Costa Rica. The boxing fans of Winnipeg, his former hometown, will get to see a lot more of him now. As a Canadian myself, I have always been a big fan of Donny Lalonde. He represents what is good in boxing. He is one of the more intelligent athletes you will ever meet.

I met him in 1996 and spoke with him briefly. What you see and hear about him is true. Lalonde has given so much to the less fortunate, especially his work with abused children. For a man who has spent most of his life helping others I really hope that he can reach the goals that he is aiming for. Donny Lalonde has never been surrounded by controversy and he has always been an ambassador and a role model for many people, including the ones who have been touched by his generosity.

Regardless of what happens when he resumes his career you can't fault him for trying. If it doesn't work out you can bet Lalonde will know when to hang it up and pursue his future endeavours. He has the proper mindset but another big question is, will his body be able to follow the minds instructions? Common logic would say that his return will be a short one but then we did say the same thing about George Foreman who was away for ten years. Lalonde has two of the three key elements, a good mind and heart. They are usually the last to go after the body slows down. I wish him the best of luck.

0 comments
 


Bookmark and Share

 

If you detect any issues with the legality of this site, problems are always unintentional and will be corrected with notification.
The views and opinions of all writers expressed on eastsideboxing.com do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Management.
Copyright © 2001- 2015 East Side Boxing.com - Privacy Policy