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By Thomas Gerbasi - As award season kicks into full blast, you won’t hear too many mentions of Mike Anchondo when it comes to the Biggest Comeback of 2009. There were bigger names and more spectacular returns, but as far as the former junior lightweight champion is concerned, nothing was more important than getting his career revived and back on track after an absence of nearly two years, whether the boxing world cared or not.
And 12 months ago, there were few indications that the Southern Californian was going to be back in the ring and actually on the verge of getting back into the title race.
“I just wasn’t happy with myself, to be honest,” said Anchondo when asked about his mindset on New Year’s Day 2009. At the time he had quit his day jobs in real estate and Home Depot and had gotten back into the gym – not to train, but to teach boxing to kids at the Jerry Ortiz Boxing and Youth Fitness Gym in El Monte, California. He thought about a comeback, but wasn’t sure if he still had what it took, despite being only 26 years old. But seeing the kids at the gym gave him that fire to fight again.
“It came back when I saw the innocence in the kids that I teach,” he said. “It took me back. I had forgotten why I was boxing before. Back then, I just did it.” [Click Here To Read More]
And 12 months ago, there were few indications that the Southern Californian was going to be back in the ring and actually on the verge of getting back into the title race.
“I just wasn’t happy with myself, to be honest,” said Anchondo when asked about his mindset on New Year’s Day 2009. At the time he had quit his day jobs in real estate and Home Depot and had gotten back into the gym – not to train, but to teach boxing to kids at the Jerry Ortiz Boxing and Youth Fitness Gym in El Monte, California. He thought about a comeback, but wasn’t sure if he still had what it took, despite being only 26 years old. But seeing the kids at the gym gave him that fire to fight again.
“It came back when I saw the innocence in the kids that I teach,” he said. “It took me back. I had forgotten why I was boxing before. Back then, I just did it.” [Click Here To Read More]
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