Amazing the feeling you get after winning a fight. Boxing has changed my life in ways I can’t explain. Considering all I’ve been through, the fact that I’m a professional boxer means more than just getting paid to fight.

            “Don’t run so much,” my mother would yell at me when I got crazy because she was afraid I’d get hurt. ”Exactly, calm down,” my father would agree with her when he thought I was getting too crazy.

            “Fuck that,” I’d say to myself every time someone tried to stop me from being me. God took something from me and I’d always ask why? How am I supposed to calm down knowing all the kids are outside playing and I have to stay in? I never understood why God did this to me, but I guess he has a plan. Joking was how I channeled my anger because I would fight when kids made fun of me and I had to stop getting in trouble. Kids are ruthless but I learned that fighting doesn’t solve everything even if it felt good. Luck was something rare to my family and we were raised to be hard workers. Money never came easy to me so I found myself doing things I wasn’t proud of. Never did I do things with bad intentions because God blessed me with a good heart. Or cursed with a good heart some might say depending on the situation. Obviously I have changed my ways because I’m back in school trying to make things happen. People I have met have helped me realize I have to change. Questions they have helped answer have changed my view on a lot. Respect, love, loyalty and honor become my base on life. Some might not agree, but I feel so strong about it that I have it tattooed on my body. Truth be told, I have a long way to go. Unbelievably, I’m a pro athlete, so I know there’s a God. Violence has left my life and that’s proof I’m changing into a better person. Welcoming these changes and being happy with them help me sleep at night. Xiomara once told me, “You’ll never get anywhere being so angry”. Years have passed since the last time I’ve gotten arrested and I’m glad because I don’t want my children to visit me in prison. Zoos are the only place I want to take my kids to see animals behind bars.