It’s the age-old story: the fighter who just can’t walk away. The final bell sounds, the gloves are hung up… until they’re not. A few years later, the training videos start trickling out on social media, the whispers of a comeback grow louder, and before you know it, a former world champion is back in the ring with a licence in one hand and nostalgia in the other. But how long is too long? When does a comeback cross the line from inspirational to irresponsible?

Ask ten boxing fans who the real number one is in any given division, and you might get ten different answers. Not because they all see the sport differently—but because the rankings themselves often feel like a bad joke.