A shoulder muscle tear has forced “Baby” Joe Mesi to withdraw from his April 4th fight against Terry “Hurricane” Smith, headlining an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights pro boxing show, at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Mesi is under doctor’s orders to rest his injured shoulder for three to four weeks.

Joe suffered a posterior and interior labral tear. The labrum is a cuff of cartilage, or thick tissue, in the shoulder joint that forms a cup for the end of the arm bone (humerus) to move within, allowing for a very wide range of movements. An injury like this restricts a boxer from throwing an effective punch with proper movement or without pain.

“Joe is terribly disappointed,” Mesi’s father/advisor Jack Mesi reported. “His promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, positioned Joe back on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, which is the plateau we hoped Joe would reach at this stage. This is just a temporary setback, that’s all. Joe will continue training to stay in good shape and keep his weight down, but he can’t do anything that involves using his shoulder. He’s still running and exercising. In three weeks he’ll be reevaluated and once the doctor clears him, Joe wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible.”

Buffalo sports icon Mesi (36-0, 29 KOs), former NABF heavyweight champion, currently rated No. 17 by the WBC and the WBC No. 1 contender in 2004, has beaten the likes of Vassiliy Jirov, Monte Barrett, DaVarryl Williamson, and David Izon.

“Joe’s shoulder injury isn’t too serious, but it’s a situation where he just couldn’t train because of it, and still be ready in time to fight April 4,” Burchfield, president of Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., explained. “We’re thankful for the support and understanding at ESPN2 and Twin River. Next week, we’ll announce who’ll be fighting on the April 4th ESPN2 show.

"2004 US Olympian Jason ‘Big Six’ Estrada is still fighting 6-foot, 8-inch ‘Mount’ Whitaker in a 10-round heavyweight bout. Joe’s worked so hard in his comeback and it’s a shame that he can’t fight April 4. His time will come, though. Joe Mesi is going to be heavyweight champion of the world.”

Click to read more boxing articles by Boxing Press

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• Mesi to Sue NYSAC.

  

  The saga of heavyweight contender Joe Mesi continues as he has announced that he intends to sue the New York >
  
  

• Mesi to Submit More Tests.

  

  Injured heavyweight Joe Mesi's bid to lift his suspension is on hold for at least another month while Nevada boxing officials await additional medical >
  
  

• Mesi Hopes For Reinstatement.

  Undefeated American heavyweight Joe Mesi wants to fight again, despite tests that appear to show bleeding on his brain from his last bout. Mesi submitted medical results to Nevada boxing >
  
  

• Exclusive Boxing Interview: Joe Mesi

  

  The old saying "You can't go home again" has floated around forever and for undefeated heavyweight "Baby" Joe Mesi, 34-0, >
  
  

• Mesi Fighting for His Boxing Life.

  Joe Mesi could have been more than a contender. He could have fought Mike Tyson and made millions. He could have been the champ. Mesi had everything it took to >
  
  

• Mesi Hearing Set.

  

  A hearing to determine whether suspended heavyweight Joe Mesi is healthy enough to resume boxing has been tentatively set for April 18. Keith Kizer, >
  
  

• “Baby” Joe Mesi fighting mad

  Former world No. 1 heavyweight contender “Baby” Joe Mesi (35-0, 28 KOs) has angrily responded to disparaging remarks made by his October 12th opponent, Shannon Miller (15-3, 9 KOs). Mesi-Miller headlines >
  
  

• Boxing Result: Tommy Morrison Makes Successful Comeback After More Than 10 Years

  Joe Mesi Scores First Round KO On Undercard Tonight at the Mountaineer Racetrack in Chester, West Virginia, ex- WBO Heavyweight Champion Tommy "The Duke" Morrison threw off over ten years >
  
  

• Boxing Update: Sherman “The Tank” Williams Vows To KO Joe Mesi

  Bahamian heavyweight Sherman “The Tank” Williams has been waiting years for the opportunity he’ll finally get August 18 when he fights unbeaten “Baby” Joe Mesi in the 10-round co-feature on >
  
  

• Don King’s Director Of Boxing Juan Gonzalez And Wife Announce First Baby Born Yesterday

  Don King Productions Director of Boxing Juan Gonzalez and his wife Dharmarie are proud to announce the birth of their first baby, a son, Juan Miguel Gonzalez Jr., yesterday, September, >
  
  

---