From injury to Team Canada: Windsor boxer’s comeback

A local boxer is headed back to the ring this weekend after a bad injury. CTV Windsor’s Bob Bellacicco has more.

A Windsor boxer is making a comeback after an injury.

Boxer Jayden Trudell was getting ready to box in a highly anticipated bout against Hunter Lee when fate intervened.

“Not having fighting for six months, it was a deep cut,” Trudell said.

“It was a killer. That’s my life.”

Last August, Trudell suffered a bicep injury five days before the Lee fight, both were Canadian champs at the time and from the same city.

The injury could have been a side effect of overusing his left arm.

“I hurt my right wrist, so I was only using my left arm so for two weeks, just left arm, even when I fought,” he said.

During a sparring session he thought his arm was cramping up when he realized his bicep was torn. He went to hospital and had surgery two days later.

“Screw the fight, I mean it sucked but in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t a big deal for my boxing career,” Trudell added.

What hurt was Trudell not being able to box at provincials and nationals. He wore a cast for two weeks, returning to training as soon as it came off.

“Taking it easy, it was tough but I’m glad that it actually happened because he’s a lot better fighter today,” said boxing coach Andre Gorges.

Because they had to progress slowly, Gorges said they worked on improving his movement in the ring.

“Now he’s got better foot work and working out of a different arm, that right hand is beautiful, now the hook is coming back. Everything is great right now,” he said.

Trudell recently won his division at the Calgary Cup and was invited to join Team Canada in Paris next month.

“My first fight, a little anxious but I dropped him first minute in. It was a way to start being back,” said the 20-year-old, who will square off against Keegan Banfic of St. Thomas on Saturday at WinCity Fight Night.

“In the moment, it felt like six months was gonna be forever when I tore my bicep. Now it feels like it gone by really quick. I’m just excited to fight in front of my friends and family.”