By Matt Bevan
Coping with retirement is the hardest issue for the majority of fighters. Many simply don’t want to do it and fight on, while others come back after a year-long break for one last crack at glory and see if they still have what it takes.
The fire still burns and that is no different for former Commonwealth and WBO European bantamweight champion Ross Burkinshaw, who retired after he suffered an injury against Klaas Mboyane back in May 2015, as he closed in on a potential world title shot.
Burkinshaw considered a comeback and announced it was happening on social media, however he has now put a stop to any thought. “The Boss” explained to Boxing Scene exactly why that is now the case and how he is coping without fighting.
“The fire is still there, like it is with most, and there was a serious chance I would be coming back, but the comeback is off for good now, which is unfortunate,” he told ‘Scene. “I believed I still had it, but when I look back at my career, I’m more than proud of what I achieved.
“Up until around August or September time, I just couldn't watch boxing at all. I got upset, but I’ve thrown myself right into it with the personal training and promoting white collar shows. I’m not going into training or promoting with pros because, to be quite honest, I don’t need the stress.
“I was so close and it all came down to one of my clients wanting to learn how to spar. So I got in with him, obviously not going full out and threw a right hand and it was obvious my shoulder couldn't withstand it. I’ve had three operations on it and now I have a screw, two pins and a bone graft on it. I simply can’t risk any more damage on it.”
Burkinshaw has overcome the first step of retiring from the sport he has grown up in since the age of eight in Sheffield. The comeback is off and he promoted his first white collar show last year, raising £4256 for Hallam FM Cash For Kids in the process.
He is content with his final decision and remains convinced that the pro game is not for him anymore, instead fully focusing his attentions on his upcoming show at the New York Stadium in Rotherham on March 11, where he hopes to build on the resounding success of his first night in promotion.
“All my effort is totally on this,” he continued. “I earn a weekly wage now, which is very different to fighting and I’m bringing in a regular income. I’ve been knocked down recently with leaving the gym I was originally at, but like when I fought, I’m back stronger and turning a potential downfall into a positive.
“I’ve no intention of getting involved with the pros because I get frustrated when people don't pick things like I did. It was all natural for me and if someone wasn’t putting in that 110 per cent effort, as I think they should and like I did, then it would wind me up.
“If you look at it, I’m blessed to have done what I loved to do. I’m in close contact with Jerome Wilson and look what happened to him. It goes to show you are really only one punch away from that and it can happen at any time.
“I travelled the world boxing in the Army and did a lot that I would never have done without boxing. It’s a great sport.
“Trust me, though, I’m still competitive and I know if I ever put on a pro show, it would be well worth buying a ticket to.”