Chordale Booker injured, could be out up to a year

Chordale Booker, an emerging possible contender in the junior middleweight division, has suffered a torn Achilles tendon and already undergone surgery, ESPN reports. His return to the ring isn’t expected for at least nine months, and could be up to a year.

Booker (15-0, 7 KO) was just starting to put things together, and this is a terrible break for him. The 28-year-old southpaw from Connecticut turned pro in March 2016 and won 13 fights largely out of the spotlight, though he was on some PBC undercards at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

This year, his name was starting to pop up more. He beat Juan De Angel on the Thurman-Lopez card in Brooklyn on Jan. 26, and scored a shutout win over veteran Wale Omotoso on the May 25 FS1 card from Biloxi, Mississippi, which was headlined by Austin Trout vs Terrell Gausha.

As a prospect, Booker’s not young, so it was hoped that he’d start putting together a run any time now. This setback really sucks for any fighter, but especially one who looked right on the cusp of breaking through, or at least getting the chance to break through.

Hopefully everything will go well and we’ll see him back and fully recovered in due time.