Former WBC light-heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk is back with a dominant win after three years out of action.
Gvozdyk retired from the sport in 2020 when calling off a training camp two weeks before walking away at 33.
The Ukrainian hung up his gloves to ‘pursue business opportunities.’ However, he broke that layoff last weekend in Pomona. He beat journeyman Josue Obando over six rounds, claiming every session and looking comfortable doing so.
Former light heavyweight champion returns
At 35, Gvozdyk will be aiming to get in the mix for top honors in the coming months. His only loss came against Artur Beterbiev a few months before his first retirement.
Beterbiev stopped Gvozdyk in ten rounds. At the time, manager Egis Klimas always thought his fighter could have a change of heart.
“He’s a very smart guy, so he thinks it’s going to be inconvenient for him to do that kind of business and box simultaneously,” Klimas told ESPN. “So he needs to give himself 100% to boxing or business. So he decided to do that.”
On attempting to land a second chance at Beterbiev, Klimas added: “What kept him from moving away from boxing, that motivation to go back into the ring, was Beterbiev.
“That was the only one holding him because he wanted to get that rematch. There might be a possibility that someone will get him a rematch. He might change his mind.”
It may have taken him three years, but that outcome has since transpired. Beterbiev is now a three-belt titleholder and recently stopped Anthony Yarde.
Gvozdyk will need a couple of decent wins against big-name opponents to put himself in the mix. Yarde could undoubtedly be one of those targets.
Stevenson vs Gvozdyk
When “The Nail” initially opted out of fighting again, the decision came just fourteen months after his fateful clash with Adonis Stevenson in 2018.
Stevenson almost died after severe trauma inflicted during the slugfest. ‘Superman’ was in a bad way for a long time after surrendering his green and gold belt.
That played a big part in Gvozdyk’s decision, as he felt guilt from Stevenson’s plight. However, the Haitian-Canadian has since pieced his life together, if not one hundred percent, back to where he was.
Gvozdyk can compete with a positive mindset, which may not have been the case in 2019 and 2020 as Stevenson continued fighting his illness.
After joining forces with MarvNation for his comeback, it will be interesting to see if Bob Arum would welcome him back to the Top Rank after wishing him well when he initially walked away.
Ironically, Arum also handles Beterbiev’s affairs.
