Jamel Herring had a tough fight just getting to the opening bell. And we can’t be certain that it’s over until we hear it ring.
Herring was originally scheduled to defend his junior lightweight title against Jonathan Oquendo on July 2 in the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas. However, Herring tested positive for COVID-19 and the fight was postponed.
Then, after it was rescheduled for July 14, Herring tested positive again, forcing another postponement.
Now, more than two months after the original date, Herring and Oquendo are set to meet on Saturday in the same venue barring yet another positive test.
“I just feel like everything happens for a reason,” Herring said. “It’s not like I was the only one suffering. It’s a global pandemic, so I can’t really complain too much. I’m just glad that I have a great team.
“… I’m just grateful. Despite all the setbacks, I’m still able to handle business.”
Herring (21-2, 10 KOs) laid out his coronavirus journey to RingTV.com, which began in late June.
At first, he felt relatively minor fatigue and body aches, which he attributed to hard training. Then came fever and chills, which prompted him to visit a doctor. He tested positive for the virus.
Herring continued to train in preparation for the second date – even though he had minor symptoms, including difficulty breathing – and tested negative before he left for Las Vegas.
“By the time Top Rank rescheduled it for July 14 I was already getting back in the groove during my time in quarantine,” Herring told RingTV.com. “I still went out for morning runs to keep my weight down and keep my body active.
“I wasn’t down for the count from the virus. I had the minor symptoms. I could still taste and smell.”
Then, when he arrived at the MGM Grand, it happened again: another positive test.
“It was definitely a shock,” he said. “It was a roller coaster. I had a lot of mixed feelings in my head. Top Rank kept me calm. They said, ‘Look, we’re gonna reschedule the fight.’ So, I was calm and cool about things.
“They pushed it back this far to make sure it was completely out of my system, and here we are now.”
In other words, the second postponement was a blessing in disguise. Herring is back to being Herring.
“It was for the best,” he said. “I believe I will go into this fight a lot more sure of myself and without doubts. I feel like the old me again, like I never had the virus.”
The stakes are high for Herring, who has an agreement in place to meet former junior featherweight and featherweight titleholder Carl Frampton later this year if he gets past Oquendo (31-6, 19 KOs).
The 37-year-old Puerto Rican is no pushover. He has a solid skill set, has experience in big fights and is hungry to win his first world title late in his career. At the same time, he has come up short in his biggest fights. That includes setbacks against Juan Manuel Lopez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Abner Mares and Jesus Cuellar in his only world title fight.
“I look at this fight like people are going to be more looking at how I look coming off this virus,” said Herring, 34. “Of course, I’m not taking him for granted … or overlooking anyone because to get to the bigger fights I have to get past him.
“For me, this fight is like to measure how I do with a guy like this because it’s no secret that Carl Frampton is definitely the guy that’s next. There’s no other fight out there for me but Carl Frampton right now, especially in 2020.
“My goal is to see how I look and feel coming off the long layoff because I haven’t fought since last November and go from there.”
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