It’s been two long years but Brandon Busby is nearing his return to the boxing ring and hopes to make an impact when he steps back between the ropes once again.
Busby, a Ballenas Secondary graduate, has been training to get back in the ring since December and is looking to return to the boxing picture along with stable mate Aubrey ‘Bam Bam’ Morrow.
“I’m excited, really excited,” Busby said. “I’ve been working hard with the training and sparring with Aubrey, it’s pretty much just the two of us in there right now so it’s been good.”
“It just feels good to put the gloves back on and get back in the ring after being away for two years.”
For Busby, the two-year hiatus came as a result of a medical condition, one that almost took the sport of boxing away from him.
Busby has since been cleared to resume his boxing career and he’s looking forward to his next bout, which he hopes isn’t too far off.
“Yeah that was tough,” Busby said. “Seeing specialists and doctors and thinking that I might not get to box again was tough.”
“It was a big relief when I got the go-ahead to get back to training and keep on boxing though, I was very happy when I got that news.”
Busby is no stranger to getting good news from doctors. When he was still a teenager, Busby was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 19.
After six months of chemotherapy, Busby was given a clean bill of health and it was then that he decided to get into the sport of boxing.
“I had thought about fighting before I got cancer,” Busby said. “I had never seriously pursued it but after the chemo, I decided to give it a shot.”
“I started out training with Rick Rae at Genesis Boxing, then I started training with Rich LeStage, who I’ve been with for the last four years.”
The now 24-year-old Busby has been training for a potential fight at some point this year after being given the go-ahead to start training last year.
After taking in the fights last summer at The Port Theater, Busby saw himself getting back into the ring in the near future.
“It was great to see all those guys that I’ve been in the gym with,” Busby said. “Not being a part of it was tough but seeing the local guys getting into the ring in front of the hometown crowd was awesome to see and it really made me want to be out there.”
For now, Busby will be waiting patiently to find out about his first fight back. Until then, the training will continue in the gym on his road back to competing in the ring.
“It’s been good training,” Busby said. “I’m happy it wasn’t too tough to get back at it after being off for those two years. I’m ready to get back in the ring though, I can’t wait for my first fight back.”