Guided by Canadian Olympians, the time is now for boxer Zsolt Daranyi to realize his potential

This is a column by Morgan Campbell, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

A glance at Zsolt Daranyi's stats tells you why every trainer and manager who has worked with him has viewed the Toronto resident as a future world champion.

He stands six-foot-one but competes at 147 pounds, dimensions that remind his current trainer of welterweight legend Tommy Hearns. While Hearns, also known as "Hitman," possessed once-in-a-generation punching power, Daranyi, nicknamed "The Phenom," also hits hard — 18 knockouts in 20 pro bouts.

At 28, Daranyi is in his athletic prime. His amateur pedigree, which includes national titles in Canada and his native Hungary, suggests he's world-class, as does his professional peer group. Between bouts, Daranyi serves as a reliable sparring partner to top-ranked welterweight contender Jaron "Boots" Ennis.

So why is his next bout, scheduled for this Saturday, taking place in Brampton, Ont., instead of Las Vegas, against a fringe contender named Alejandro Barrera, instead of a brand-name world champion?

Daranyi blames bad luck, bad timing, and one bad night.

In December 2020, he made his debut on Showtime, the U.S. cable network. A win would have boosted his value to among the sport's heaviest hitters, but Daranyi lost an eight-round decision to journeyman Benjamin Whitaker.

That loss sent Daranyi to the back of a long line of welterweight contenders, and put him on a path that led to Saturday's bout against Barrera. The World Boxing Organization Global title is at stake, but Daranyi says he's fighting for a lot more. 

A world ranking, and the opportunities that come with it.

Daranyi turned pro in 2014 with backing from Top Rank Boxing, and high-powered manager Cameron Dunkin. His second pro bout took place on the undercard of an HBO broadcast where Terence Crawford, who is currently the WBO welterweight champion, defended his lightweight title.

But Daranyi's career has largely been defined by setbacks.

In March of 2018, Daranyi was booked in the main event of a card in downtown Toronto. Daranyi was midway through his pre-fight warmup when he learned the bout had been cancelled. The event's promoter had reneged on a contractual promise to pay U.S. cash to Daranyi's opponent, Diego Marocchi, and another Argentine fighter, so they left the arena.

From there, personal and professional setbacks piled up.

He split with Top Rank, and took a two-year hiatus after the unexpected death of his younger sister, Szabrina.