Heavyweight contender Michael Hunter, who was last seen in a regular boxing match back in December of 2021, this when he was deemed lucky to have gotten a draw against Jerry Forrest, will make his ring return on June 24 at the Memorial Auditorium in Lowell. Hunter, who has been active in Team Combat League bouts, will get back to the real thing in a fight with the 6’10” Donnie Palmer.
Hunter, 20-1-2(14) has seen a number of fights fall through (one with Hughie Fury for example) and it has been frustrating for him as well as for his fans. That impressive stoppage win over Marin Bakole seems a long time ago now (October of 2018) as does Hunter’s draw with Alexander Povetkin (December of 2019). Hunter, at age 34, needs to get the momentum back if he can. A good fighter, Hunter could still wind up boxing for a version of a world heavyweight title, who knows?
39 year old Palmer, 12-3-1(10) has endured some considerable inactive time himself, the man from Boston having returned to action in February of last year, this after a three-and-a-half year layoff. Palmer won two fights before he was decisioned by 45 year old Steve Vukosa in his last fight, which took place in January of this year.
On paper, the June 24 fight is one Hunter should win handily, and hopefully, if he does get himself a quick win, “The Bounty” will keep himself active from here on in. Again, Hunter hasn’t got time to waste and there are a number of good and interesting fights out there for him (a return with Bakole would be interesting, as would that Hunter-Fury fight).
Michael Hunter has of course been beaten by one man only, this being Oleksandr Usyk who decisioned Hunter in a cruiserweight fight some years back. Maybe Hunter can get himself some more big and meaningful heavyweight fights over the course of the coming months and maybe he can win them. But can Hunter win a world title?