Thomas Carty and the Irish heavyweight boxing tradition. What is to come?
A couple of months on from the heartbreaking defeat in the iconic Madison Square Garden Theater, New York to American Dajuan Calloway, the future looks slightly cloudier for Irish heavyweight, Thomas Carty. “The Punisher” got the better of “The Bomber” to inflict the first career defeat on the man from Dublin. After ten undefeated bouts, Carty enters unknown territory after having his undefeated streak abruptly ended in New York.
It was the second round of a fight between two boxers with a staggering 154-pound difference between them. Weighing in at 409 lbs, Calloway had the size advantage, but Carty was still deemed the heavy favourite with heavyweight boxing predictions and best bets on the fight. However, disaster struck late in the second round as Carty suddenly hit the floor after a seemingly harmless clinch with Calloway.
An audible snap in the Irishman’s left knee ended Carty’s attempt to win an eleventh straight fight and leaves Carty facing a more uncertain future following successful surgery on a ruptured ACL. With the unexpected setback, what is next for Thomas Carty and Irish heavyweight boxing?
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Full Focus on Recovery
The first target for Carty is getting back to full fitness and fight sharpness. A full reconstruction of the ACL rupture will keep Carty out for at least six months with a lengthy rehabilitation period also required to restrengthen the injured area. Therefore, it is highly expected that Carty will be out of boxing for the rest of this calendar year. The 29-year-old posted a picture of himself in a hospital bed after successful surgery with his thumb up in a positive statement to his fans. Carty and his army of followers, of which there were many in Madison Square Garden, know it will be a long road back to the ring. But there is no doubt that Carty will look to come back stronger.
Missed Opportunity
The ACL was a hefty blow to Carty’s ambitions but the failure to take his chance in his debut stateside after UFC boss Dana White delivered on his promise to invite Carty to the States to showcase his talents will arguably be just a big blow. The opportunity to fight in such an iconic arena does not come up every day, and it will certainly be a while before Carty can even imagine fighting in a ring again, let alone in MSG.
However, many class the injury as a freak incident that could happen to any athlete. The fact Carty was invited to America is enough evidence of his stock in the fighting world. Having fought in Liege, (Belgium) London, Nottingham, Dublin, and Gibraltar, Carty’s appearance was supposed to open more doors into the combat sport business. But the road towards the big time begins again once Carty returns to full fitness.
Still Plenty of Time
Despite the injury and the lengthy rehabilitation time, Carty does have time on his side. At the age of 29, Carty ought to be hitting his peak in boxing. But with many years in the ring ahead of him still, there is plenty of time to realise the potential. Many top elite sports men and women have suffered ACL injuries and bounced back stronger. This is the mentality Carty requires right now and once the Irishman is back in the ring, he can let his feet and hands do the talking again to cement his place as one of the greats of Irish heavyweight boxing.
