Katsidis possibly retiring from boxing

By Boxing News - 02/11/2013 - Comments

katsidis334By Allan Fox: Former WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis (28-6, 23 KO’s) is reportedly on the verge of retirement after pulling out of his scheduled February 21st bout against Weng Haya due to a medical condition, according to Yahoo News Australia. Johnny Lewis, Katsidis’ trainer, said he was pretty upset about it.

Lewis said to News Ltd. “Michael was crying at the news. It’s heartbreaking…I’m glad the tests have stopped him from fighting before something really bad happened. Boxing is a tough sport and it’s no good taking chances with your health.”

This news obviously makes you wonder what medical condition the 32-year-old Katsidis could have that would make it necessary to quit immediately. There are a number of conditions that would require for him to stop fighting, but hopefully he’ll be okay with the rest of his life outside of the ring.

Katsidis had really struggled in the ring in the past three years, losing four out of his last five bouts. His problems started with a fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in November 2010, and Katsidis took a real pounding in that fight in getting stopped in the 9th.

You can make a strong argument that the fight should have been halted by the 4th round because it was clear to all watching that fight that Katsidis was badly out of his league against Marquez. Instead of being matched softly to recover from that punishing fight, Katsidis was then matched against Robert Guerrero, and he took a lot of punishment in losing a pretty one-sided 12 round decision.

In hindsight you’d wish that Katsidis didn’t take that fight because the timing was bad and it was a bad match-up for him. In his last two fights, Katsidis was beaten by WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns and light welterweight Albert Mensah.

Katsidis fought reasonably well against Burns, but didn’t have the height and reach to deal with the bigger fighter. The same applies for Katsidis fight against Mensah. Katsidis fought well, but Mensah was just so much bigger than him.

Katsidis’ big wins in his career was his 3rd round TKO of Kevin Mitchell in May 2010, and his victories over Vicente Escobedo, Jesus Chavez, Graham Earl and Czar Amonsot.



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