Danny O’Connor to make comeback for a hugely worthwhile cause
Boxing is full of sad stories of money-stricken fighters staying too long in the game, trying to support themselves financially the only way they know how, much to the detriment of their health and legacy.
The Framingham Irish-American was heavily knocked out in the first round of his PBC clash with Gabe Bracero last October, effectively ending his World title ambitions and raising the very real notion of retirement.
However, the 31 year old, who spent time in the Celtic Warriors Gym last year, has told his followers on social media that “I’m going to fight again.”
The reasons behind Danny Bhoy’s return are both extremely noble and intensely personal. O’Connor is stepping into the ring again to earn much-needed money to fund his mentorship programme for disadvantaged local children.
O’Connor explained that “I have the ability to help a lot of kids that need support with my mentorship programme for many generations to come
“That’s really important to me, and growing that programme is important to me.”
“I only have about seventy-five percent of the capital to start it up.”
“I’m a little bit short so I’m going to go back to the sport of boxing to fight for it.”
“I’ve built my career being a fighter and I can get back in the ring and earn money for a great cause, a purpose.”
“I know what I’m fighting for, it’s important.”
“This is what I’ve done, this is what I know.”
In addition, the return allows the Celtic FC fanatic to “to answer some questions about myself” which have arisen from his disappointing loss to Brooklyn’s Bracero – who fights Paulie Malignaggi (who himself was a former mooted opponent of O’Connor) on the Frampton-Santa Cruz undercard on July 30th.
O’Connor admits that “that last fight with Bracero did not go the way that I pictured it would.”
“There’s a lot of unknowns left from that”
“In life, whenever you get the chance to have an opportunity to grow as a human being I think it’s really important to take that, no matter how scary it is”
“if you have the ability to push past that fear and grow, it’s important.”
“To me, to be able to get back in the ring, even if it is for a couple of times, just to answer those questions about myself and for the purpose of helping the kids I’ve been trying to do all this for – it’s important to me.”
Details of Danny O’Connor’s mentorship programme can be found here.
News of O’Connor’s next fight will be posted once it emerges.
