This fighter from Tennessee hasn’t gloved up for real since 2016. That’s because he developed a growing drug problem while he tried to climb the pro ranks. Now, happily, Chris is on almost four years of sobriety.

Howard, whose older brother Tyler Howard fights under the Top Rank banner, debuted in 2007. He rose to 13-0-1, then met then 17-0 Arash Usmanee on March 17, 2012, and lost a UD10. Four months later, he lost to 14-0 Mark Salser (SD10). The 5’ 7’’ righty next won three straight, but outside the ring, things were going off the rails.

Howard didn’t fight in 2014 or 2015, and his last outing came in December 2016. Growing addictions issues were the main cause. “I started off with alcohol and marijuana, moved to opiates, then meth. Through that time I was doing some highly illegal things, ended up getting arrested, and I reached down started talking to God. My life was broken. I started trafficking drugs to support my habit, and I went to jail for that, in 2017, I was locked up a year. I still have like six years time (probation).” He now looks on the bright side. “I could have gotten 30 years, they gave me 10.” He praises God copiously now, and believes that higher power brought the ‘Last Chance’ opportunity to him.

His faith extends to his take on his chances to win Last Chance. “I want to go down there and win this thing,” Howard says. “Me and my team will get the gameplan to beat whoever I fight. In the tournament, it’s one fight at a time, just like recovery.”