When can we expect Buchinger to return? Around September. I have to keep my shoulder in a brace for eight weeks, said the former Octagon champion

The Octagon will be shown at the end of April in Slovakia, more precisely in the biggest hall in Bratislava. Ivan Buchinger was supposed to be part of the tournament, but he announced that he had to have another surgery. So when will we see his return?

A 180-degree turn in his career. That’s what Ivan Buchinger can “brag” about. Unfortunately, instead of his already successful career gaining even more momentum, his star is plummeting.

As of November 2021, he still held titles in two weight classes in the Octagon, and was even seeking a third. His fight with David Kozma was coming up, and it was even officially announced. However, due to an injury, it didn’t happen.

To make matters worse, he lost one of his titles in June 2022 when he was stopped in the first round by Losene Keita. He injured his shoulder in the fight, plus he had a torn ligament in his knee. So he had to take a break.

Back in December, it was announced that the Slovak legend would be back in the cage in April 2023, when Buchinger was to be one of the biggest stars of the OKTAGON 42 tournament in Bratislava.

But right at the beginning of January, the organization announced that Buchinger had undergone shoulder surgery and would therefore not fight in Bratislava.

So the question of when he would return and whether he would return at all was immediately discussed. According to many, the end of his career could be an option. However, the fighter confirmed in an interview with Kaocko.cz that he is planning his comeback.

“I really hope that now I have put all the bad things behind me for a long time and I will finally get myself back on track. I have to have my shoulder in a brace for eight weeks, but in about five to six months I should be back in training. I can see that around September I could definitely fight again,” he said.

And what about the end of his career? “I definitely want to continue. Conditioning and strength-wise, I still felt good after the knee surgery, that wasn’t a problem. It’s just my hamstrings that are bothering me, but I hope that will come back. If it’s possible, I definitely want to keep fighting,” he added.

Source: Kaocko.cz