By Jake Donovan

It wasn’t very long ago when Omar Henry craved the spotlight. His only wish nowadays is to live long enough to see his 26th birthday.

The unbeaten prospect is literally fighting for his life these days. Henry was hospitalized for gall stones in mid-November, the week of his scheduled Shobox debut against Juan Ubaldo Cabrera.

More than two months later, Henry remains hospitalized with what has grown into Stage Four gall bladder cancer. A super welterweight who regularly walks around at 175 lb. or so, Henry has shrunk down to a fragile 130 lb. as he awaits his next round of chemotherapy.

Friends surrounding the unbeaten fighter admit that “it’s not looking good for him right now, but he’s still fighting. One day at a time” as he eyes February 8, when he turns just 26 years old. Henry hopes to make it to that point, but it’s far from the only goal has he set for 2013.

“I’m coming back by the end of the year,” insists Henry (12-0-1, 9KO), whose last fight was a ten-round shutout over Tyrone Selders last June. The Chicago-born fighter – who now calls Houston home – didn’t quite take to his first attempt at chemotherapy, but is scheduled for a second treatment on Monday.

The desire to comeback appears to be a long shot, though in his mind is simply a part of his eventual journey. As long as he has moral and spiritual support, he remains confident that he can handle the rest.

“Keep praying for me. I promise, you will see me again in the ring.”

Jake Donovan is the Boxingscene.com Managing Editor, Records Keeper for Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox.