Bismarck, North Dakota - News

Nothing has come easy for Tocker Pudwill in his boxing career.

He expressed as much before he suffered a second-round TKO at the hands of Joe Calzaghe in their WBO super middleweight title fight on Saturday.

"Olympians get the paved highway," Pudwill said. "I've had to take the gravel road."

If this isn't the end of the road for Pudwill, he should be able to see the signs from here.

There has been talk from Pudwill's camp that he might be able to land a fight with WBC super middleweight champ Eric Lucas. If he gets that opportunity, one more shot at a world title -- and the accompanying hefty paycheck -- may be too tempting for Pudwill to pass up.

But if that doesn't happen, it's probably time for Pudwill to call it a career.

Generally, I think athletes should get to choose when to retire without getting prodded by the media. But when athletes in other sports stick around too long, at worst they get embarrassed. When boxers do it, they can get hurt -- permanently.

Considering where he started, Pudwill has had a very successful career. Virgil Hill excepted, there aren't many fighters who emerge from the North Dakota circuit to earn two world title shots.

Pudwill comes from a long line of fighters.

His grandfather, Buckley, was the first. All four of Buckley's sons -- Buckley Jr. (also known as Kit), Jack, Mark and Tocker's father, Terry -- have followed in his footsteps. Tocker's brother, Shelby, and at least five of his cousins (Adrian, Kane, J.T., Ragan, Billy) have also stepped in the ring. Tocker began boxing at the age of 5, turning pro by 18, and he has become the most accomplished fighter of them all.

But his heart is no longer in it, a fact he has made clear.

"It's hard for me to stay focused anymore," Pudwill said. "It's not fun. I don't enjoy it anymore. I do enjoy it, but it's more of a business. It starts to become a headache."

Pudwill was paid in the high five figures to step in the ring with Calzaghe. If he can get a similar deal to take on Lucas, and get one more chance at his dream of winning a world title, it would probably be worth the risk.

But at this point, it doesn't make any sense for Pudwill to keep fighting for anything less.

(Lou Babiarz is the Tribune sports editor.)

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