World title hopes of John John “Rough Boy” Florence crash following his sudden withdrawal from El Salvador Pro and, likely, Rio Pro after knee injury at G-Land, “Hard news for me to accept…this one really hurts”

"It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me."

The almost thirty-year-old John John Florence is the last custodian of the old way, talk softly, carry a big stick, surf with power and brilliance.

Ain’t no glitz or showmanship, only a purity of purpose and execution.

A real bummer, then, that world number three Florence will miss the El Salvador contest and, likely, Brazil, putting his hopes for a third world title into tailspin.

“I learned yesterday that the pain I was feeling in G-Land is due to a torn MCL that happened during the event,” says Florence. Hard news for me to accept, and it means I have to officially withdraw from the next @wsl event in El Salvador, and most likely the Brazil event too. This one really hurts to be honest. But, there will always be unforeseen moments out of our control, just have to try and respond in the best way possible.”

You’ll remember Florence appearing for his round one heat at G-Land with knee in a brace.

“I kind of tweaked my left knee, maybe my MCL,” he said in his compulsory post-heat presser. “It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me. I was thinking about pulling out of the event then did some work with the medical staff then had a surf this morning and felt okay so decided to keep at it. I was so nervous before that heat because I still didn’t really know what it was going to feel like but it ended up feeling fine and having no pain so I’m really stoked to get the heat win.”

Florence’s hinges have been a source of woe for the past four years, causing multiple breaks from the tour and, likely, costing at least one world title.