Hank Lundy back in the gym after surgery, targets fall return

Jul

Photo by: Naoki Fukuda

Hank Lundy is back in the gym after successful knee surgery and is preparing for a return this fall in either September or October at lightweight, promoter Jimmy Burchfield told RingTV.com.

Lundy suffered a torn meniscus while doing road work shortly after his entertaining fifth-round stoppage loss to junior welterweight titleholder Terence Crawford in February, Burchfield said. Lundy returned to the gym and is fully healed from the injury after undergoing surgery, his promoter said.

They are now planning his comeback, which will be at lightweight, five pounds south of where he has fought recently. Crawford has lost four fights, all against top opposition at junior welterweight since 2013.

“That’s the weight we want to be at,” Burchfield said in a phone interview. “Hank’s a warrior. He’d fight a heavyweight if you asked him to. He doesn’t care. But lightweight is the best weight for him and we’re looking at some of the champions to try to get him a fight. He doesn’t want a tune-up after the injury. He’s looking to face another top fighter.”

While Burchfield said he’s started talks for a fall fight against a titleholder, he declined to say against who in case they go in a different direction. Lundy (26-6-1, 13 knockouts) has come up short against some of the sport’s best, losing a decision to current titleholder Viktor Postol in 2013 in the Ukraine and to Mauricio Herrera by technical decision after Herrera sustained cuts around his eyes in 2015.

Lundy came out swinging against the usually slow-starting Crawford before he was drilled in the ensuing rounds. Still, Lundy has grumbled about the stoppage even though he appeared hurt, wishing he had been allowed to continue.