Chilemba undergoes successful surgery
Revered boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba’s career is set to continue after undergoing a successful three-hour elbow operation in New York, United States (US) on Tuesday night.
However, orthopaedic surgeon Keith Ruskin yesterday said it would be premature to hint on how long it will take for the 29-year-old former IBO super middleweight and WBC international light-heavyweight champion to recover fully.
“I think the most important thing at this point is that it [surgery] went on very well. It was one of my best considering the complications involved,” he said from New York.
The surgeon also said Chilemba will be under observation “for quite a while”.
On his part, the ‘Golden Boy’ said he was relieved that everything went well.
“I was told before the surgery that it was not going to be easy and to be told that it was a success, was quite relieving.
“Now I just have to work on my rehabilitation and recovery, I have no idea how long it is going to take to heal, hopefully soon,” he said.
Chilemba also said he is contemplating having his hip surgery in the States as well “because the doctor needs me here for a while.
“I am seeing a hip specialist here on Thursday [today]. So, I will probably take it up from there, but I cannot wait to recover and get back in training.”
Initially, his elbow surgery was scheduled for last Wednesday, but after going through the MRI results, the doctor had established that the injury was complicated.
“He [the doctor] says there are more problems than we all thought. There are more cracked bones, torn ligaments and muscles and there is also fluid in my joint socket.
Chilemba suffered the elbow injury during his North America Boxing Federation (Nabf) light heavyweight title bout against Aleksandr Gvozyk in which he retired after the eighth round.
“I messed up in the second round of the fight and from then on, I had only the left side to use up until the pain became unbearable and I had no choice but to stop the fight,” said Chilemba who boasts 24 wins (10 knockouts), five losses (one knockout) and two draws.
Ironically, Chilemba also had another hip surgery postponed two weeks ago in South Africa before his trip to the States on doctor’s recommendation that he could not be operated on ahead of his long trip. n
