Long Lay Off Proves Costly for Swift Jarrett Hurd by Ron Harris

By Ron Harris/Photo Credit Esther Lin

Ontario, California – For a boxer to be away from the ring for 21 months can go two ways. A fighter can return and show rust or return invigorated with a rested body and be sharp. For a fighter like Swift Jarrett Hurd, a notoriously slow starter in his entire career, the lay off was devastating. He returned to the ring at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California and was stopped in a TKO lost to little known Mexican fighter, Armando Resendiz. Hurd (24-3) started slow in this fight and was on his heels for the first two rounds. A punching machine, Resendiz threw punches in bunches and kept up that volume of punching for 9 rounds. On the judge’s cards, Hurd only managed to win 2 rounds. At the start of the 10^th round, referee Ray Corano took Hurd over to the ringside doctors and they ruled he had a lacerated lip and called an end to the fight.

Hurd, 32, a former unified world champion at 154 pounds (Jr. Middleweight) took 21 months off partly to mourn the death of his father, a big influence on his life and his boxing career. He was also on his third trainer in his last 3 fights. Local fighter, turned trainer, Andrew Council was in Hurd’s corner for this fight. “I knew this would be a tough, toe to toe fight based on our styles”, says Hurd. “But I only had to make it one more round. I wish I could have finished it, but my lip was cut too bad.” Hurd, always a good sport, win or lose said, “So congratulations to Resendiz. I definitely wish I could have continued. At no point was I hurt in that fight, but I have to respect what the doctors say and there is nothing I can do about it.” The slow start hurt Hurd once again. He was backpedaling in the first 2 rounds as Resendiz was pounding away. In the third and fourth round, Hurd found his jab and was sticking it to Resendiz with power and accuracy. He was landing hard shots, but nothing hurt Resendiz. Rounds 3 and 4 are the only rounds won by Hurd on each judge’s card.

Jarrett Hurd vs Armando Resendiz

24-year-old Resendiz (14-1) has an iron chin. Hurd hit him with some clean hard right hands and vicious upper cuts, but he never flinched. He didn’t have a mark on his face after 9 hard rounds of action. “I was visualizing this fight for so long, how I was going to win this fight,” said Resendiz. “It was all about heart, but I know I can be even better, and you’ll see what I mean in my next fight.” Resendiz looked to be the smaller fighter next to Hurd, but he actually came down from 168 lbs. to fight at the contract weight of 162 lbs. This was Hurd’s second fight at Middleweight.

Hurd has a decision to make. He has done well financially in the sport of boxing. It is hard to see him getting any meaningful fights going forward. He can certainly hold his head high. The Accokeek, Maryland native has represented the DMV with pride and skill and will always be mentioned with the former champions from the fighting rich Washington, DC area.