Hanging up the gloves is always a touchy subject in boxing, but even so every year sees a number of high profile retirements. This year has already seen more than most, with the likes of Erik Morales, Yuri Foreman and Vitali Klitschko bidding adieu. And even so, there should have been even more retirements.
David Haye unofficially retired late last year only to (shockingly) spend the last several months floating rumors of a comeback. There had been murmurs that Floyd Mayweather would retire, but it’s clear that he wants to fight at least through the remaining portion of his six-fight deal with Showtime. Following his rematch victory over Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao’s wife once again publicly begged him to hang up the gloves and stay home with his family. Had all three of those things happened, 2014 would have been pugilism’s year of retirements, and the sport suddenly would have been without much of its top-level star power.
Even so, 2014 could still end up sending off another wave of fighters if just a few of these candidates do the smart thing and exit stage left:
- Bob Arum: Alright, so he’s not plying his trade in the boxing ring but few people have their hands on more of the fight scene than ol’ Bob Arum. Seriously Bob. You are 83 years old. Even Don King is mostly retired now.
- Sergio Martinez: After the way Maravilla was manhandled by Miguel Cotto, it’s clear that a combination of injuries, rust, and time have caught up with the one-time middleweight kingpin. He should do one more fight, something he can win, in Buenos Aires and make that his swan song.
- Paul Spadafora: Many readers will be surprised to learn the Pittsburgh Kid isn’t already retired. His career has been in limbo since drawing with Leonard Dorin in 2003, his reputation marred by two prison stints related to a 2005 shooting of his then-girlfriend. He has not fought above the club level in years, and last year lost his undefeated status. Time’s up, Paul.
- Zab Judah: “Super” Judah looked gassed early on in his fight with Paulie Malignaggi, quite a switch from his fairly creditable performance against Danny Garcia earlier in 2013. That might not sound bad, but the last time Judah won a major fight was against Lucas Matthysse in March 2011, and that was a disputed decision. Since then, he has been kayoed (Amir Khan), cleanly beaten with one knockdown (Garcia) and whipped by a slickster (Malignaggi). Judah is looking shopworn and should call it a day.
- Andre Dirrell: “The Matrix” has fought twice in the four years since Arthur Abraham knocked his block off with a dirty shot in the Super Six Tournament, but he is still talking comeback. Andre, please stop. No one is convinced you have fully recovered from the brain injury you received in 2010. Furthermore, you were a talented, but hesitant fighter in the Super Six tournament, and the sport is not forgiving of that sort of thing in men who come back after what was essentially a four year layoff. Hand the torch to your brother Anthony and call it a day.
