Yuri Foreman to be Better than Ever After Knee Surgery
One of the doctors who treated former WBA light welterweight champion Yuri Foreman said that the boxer will be out about six months as he recovers and rehabilitates the right knee he injured during his loss to Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium on June 5. However, Dr. Gerald Varlotta told AOL FanHosue that Foreman could be better than ever once he returns to the ring.
Dr. Varlotta was at ringside on June 5 when Foreman (28-1, 8 KOs) slipped and twisted his right knee while ducking a punch for Cotto in the seventh round of their highly anticipated championship fight - the first bout at the new version of Yankee Stadium. Foreman continued fighting through the pain but eventually the fight was stopped in the ninth round after Foreman - whose mobility was clearly limited - was doubled over in pain following a hard body shot from Cotto.
Foreman, 29, had a 90-minute surgical procedure done last Friday on his injured right knee - the damage incurred in the fight included a torn ACL and meniscus. Varlotta, an associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the Rusk Institute at NYU, saw Foreman two days after the fight and determined after an MRI scan that the injuries would require surgery. He referred Foreman to Dr. Laith M. Jazrawi, who ultimately performed the sugery.
Dr. Jazrawi said that the procedure went “perfectly” and that Foreman has “a brand new ACL” that will help him perform even better once he is fully healed. Dr. Jazrawi said that Foreman must complete a four-month rehabilitation program but could be ready to fight within six month.
Foreman has worn a brace on his right knee for most of his career. After the fight, he said that he originally suffered the injury in a bicycle accident in Israel when he was 15. Dr. Varlotta said that it was remarkable that Foreman hadn’t injured his knee more severely in the past - with the type of ACL injury that he apparently suffered 14 years ago, it was apparently only a matter of time before he incurred a more serious injury.
Foreman relies on his speed and mobility to make fighters miss. Dr. Varlotta said that having a more stable right knee will allow him to become even more mobile. In addition, he will be able to push off from his right knee more effectively than he did in the past, allowing him to land more powerful punches and perhaps improve in the one area of his game that many critics have noted to be a significant weakness.
During his two falls, Foreman suffered significant injuries to both his ACL and the meniscus - the two pads of tissue that relieve pressure and friction within the knee joint. Dr. Varlotta said that surgery on the meniscus could have provided Foreman with temporary relief and allowed him to get back into the ring quicker. However, the doctor and Foreman agreed that a more extensive surgical procedure that would allow his knee to operate at 100 percent was the best option. During the procedure, Dr. Jazrawi cleaned out cartilage debris along with repairing the torn ACL and meniscus.
Dr. Jazrawi said that athletes in any sport that involves pivoting are susceptible to ACL injuries - it’s an injury that is quite common with NFL players and soccer stars, for example. Foreman showed remarkable grit and fortitude to continue on with the fight after aggravating his knee injury, Dr. Jazrawi said, but it was also incredible that he was able to persevere and rise to the level of world champion while dealing with a nagging knee injury like the one that he had.
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