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WATCH: 70-YEAR-OLD boxer wins 36-year comeback with FARCICAL KO

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A boxer who made his debut in 1975 made a farcical winning return to action last week. Albert Hughes Jr. scored the sixth stoppage of his long career following an absence of 36 years.

The ‘contest’ took place at Tyndall Armoury, Indianapolis and saw the unheralded Tramane Towns in the opposite corner.

Hughes amazingly decided to launch a comeback at the age of 70, although the Guinness World Record-achieving victory was certainly nothing to write home about.

Gaining the ‘W’ was seemingly all that mattered in what was likely to be a push simply to gain that title for Hughes.

To be fair to Hughes, he looked in fairly decent shape for his age. Whilst at 43, Towns was returning from an eleven-year hiatus himself.

Towns showed little-to-no punch resistance to what looked lame blows by Hughes. None-the-less, Towns went down in the second and history was made.

Boasting a Mohican haircut David Beckham would be proud of, Hughes celebrated as the small crowd applauded the achievement.

The Kentucky-born slugger overtakes the previous record-holder from the UK, Steven Ward. According to official Guinness facts, The oldest active boxer is Stephen “Steve” Ward (UK, b. 12 August 1956), who was 60 years 337 days old at the time of his most recent bout in Nottinghamshire, UK, on 15 July 2017.

“Stephen has beaten his previous record for this title by attempting it at 60 years and 337 days.”

PENSIONER

Holding a record of 11-7-4, Hughes first competed during the mid-seventies as a super welterweight. Fast forward 44 years and Hughes weighed just nine pounds heavier.

In 1976, Hughes first graced the Tyndall Armoury when defeating Steve Horton via second-round knockout. Four decades later he managed to match that feat.

Prior to December 14th, Hughes last fought in 1983.

For Towns, a career which saw the Indiana man lose all seven bouts must surely come to a close after a poor showing against a man old enough to be his father and a pensioner to boot.

Phil Jay is the Editor of World Boxing News.