John Pullman suggests either retirement or a long break for Chris Colbert following latest loss

Boxing coach John Pullman reflected on Chris Colbert’s recent ninth-round knockout loss to Omar Salcido last Wednesday, where Colbert’s coach threw in the towel to stop the fight. 

Pullman, who trained Tugstsogt Nyambayar when he fought Colbert in 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, shared his thoughts on Colbert’s decline in performance since their bout.

Now 17-3 (6 KOs), Colbert’s last great night, one might say, was against Nyambayar, 12-2-1 (9 KOs). Against Salcido, a 24-year-old Mexican lightweight, the 28-year-old New York native Colbert didn’t quite look the same. 

“I know Colbert,” Pullman told BoxingScene. “He spent about a month training at a gym I had with Buddy [McGirt] and another manager, Andy. This was early in his career when he was 7-0 or 8-0, so I got to know him pretty well. Watching him on Wednesday, though, he just looked like a shell of himself.”

Pullman described Colbert as a fighter who, despite not being technically sound, made up for it with his natural abilities. Colbert might have had flaws, but he was very awkward and difficult to fight based on his unique style. 

“Chris was never the most technically sharp fighter, but his athleticism, speed, and instincts made up for it. He wasn’t a big puncher, and a lot of that I think could have to do with his punch technique. But he had great reflexes and a good boxing brain,” Pullman said. “Now, he’s lost a bit of that athleticism and speed, and his fundamentals just aren’t there, so he’s getting hit with everything and can’t get out of the way. His punch resistance doesn’t look great, either, and that might come from not living the most disciplined life.”

Comparing Colbert’s recent form to when he fought Nyambayar, Pullman noted a stark difference. 

“When he fought Tug, he was still fast, bigger, and his reflexes were there,” Pullman reflected. “Tug took that fight on short notice and wasn’t as prepared as he should have been, but Colbert’s skills were still sharp then.

“Now, it’s almost like the Roy Jones syndrome,” Pullman said. “Roy wasn’t technically sound either, but as soon as his reflexes and speed faded, he started getting knocked out a lot. I see something similar happening with Colbert.”

As for what’s next for Colbert, Pullman expressed concern about his future in the sport. 

“I think he should retire or at least take a long break,” Pullman said. “I’ll never tell a man what he can or can’t do, but based on that performance, he just didn’t look like himself. He couldn’t even make 135 pounds for the fight, so going down in weight doesn’t seem like an option. Maybe years of draining himself to make weight have taken something out of him too. I don’t know what the answer is for him.”

Despite being in opposing corners on one fight night, Pullman separated his humanity from his trade when thinking of Colbert: “I honestly wish the best in life for him.”