Can Mike Alvarado Successfully Come Back?

Will Alvarado now look out to new horizons? 

Word is that Mile High Mike Alvarado is indeed returning to the ring in March in what Dan Rafael of ESPN claims will be an eight round bout. Although no opponent has been named yet, it's clear the man is not going to dive right into the deep end of the pool. For troubles with law enforcement, coupled with a drinking problem, will have kept him out of the ring for over a year by the time he makes his comeback.

Still, boxing has showed the world time and time again that no one can really ever be written off - even Alvarado, who looked terrible when he was dominated by arch foe Brandon Rios early in 2015. For if the 35 year old Denver native has indeed sobered up and regained his focus, he might possibly surprise some people. Can he reach the pinnacle of success once more? That remains to be seen. Still, it will be interesting to see how this story progresses.

Indeed, Alvarado at his best is a fascinating fighter. The way he out-chessed Rios in their second fight was impressive stuff. What's more, he's got extensive experience under his belt. Sometimes a loss to the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez is more valuable than a handful of easy wins. Gene Tunney, for instance, is said to have owed a lot regarding his growth as a fighter to the great Harry Greb, the only man to ever defeat him.

Whether Alvarado will harness his extensive experience and turn it into a positive remains to be seen. It's telling that Alvarado is starting on a smaller scale here than he's been used to. Again, the fight will only be eight rounds and will also appear on UniMas rather than on HBO. That, however, may prove to be a good thing. Sometimes the longer path is better than the shorter and seemingly easier one.