Cody Garbrandt was anxious to build on his stunning knockout against Raphael Assuncao this past June until a series of health issues gave him the toughest fight of his career.
The former bantamweight champion was one of more than 23.4 million Americans who contracted COVID-19 over the past year, and the deadly disease definitely took a toll on him. Being forced out of a flyweight title shot was ultimately the least of his concerns, as he battled symptoms for several months. The issue was exacerbated by an additional injury after he suffered a torn vein in his arm caused by blood clots.