WBC Champion Danny O’Connor On Fighting His Biggest Battles Outside The Ring

Danny O’Connor was an honor roll student, a Massachusetts HS wrestling state champion, and a nationally ranked wrestler as a sophomore in high school. By his junior year, he was failing every class, dropped out of school, fell into substance abuse, experienced homelessness, and had 22 involvements with the criminal justice system before adult age. He was on a path destined for prison or death. In just two years two years after finding boxing, he  became a two-time national amateur champion, ranked #1 in the U.S., and traveled the world as part of Team USA. He made the United States Olympic boxing team, turned professional, won 31 fights, and became the WBC International Champion. He was ranked in the top 5 in all major sanctioning bodies, managed and mentored by the Dropkick Murphys, and fought on HBO, Showtime Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and more. However, the hardest and longest battle he fought was not on a mat or in the ring but rather with his eating disorder. The very same discipline that led to his success also led to his demise taking away his dreams and almost his life. Danny shares his incredible story and struggles in hopes that others can learn from his mistakes and be inspired from his resilience. @therealdannyoconnor, www.doboxingacademy.com