Fighting at 178!

I walked into the Pete Suazo Athletic Center on 09/08/2012 knowing I was going to make weight, however I did not expect to be hit with emotion when I did. I stripped down to my spandex shorts and waited for my turn to get on the digital scale. Less than three weeks before, I committed to making the 178 pound mark which classified me as a light heavyweight.

The fight organizer called my name and I climbed on. I waited until "177.8" turned up. All the hard work had paid off. I was no longer a heavyweight, I had lost 92 pounds in two years and I weighed as much as I did when I graduated from High School ten years prior. As I stood there, my smile felt bigger than it ever had been. I felt accomplished and whether I won or lost that night, I was truly a winner as I had accomplished, what I thought was, the impossible.

Going into the fight that night, I was 0-2 in two weight classes. My coach had two goals for me. He wanted me to get the first punch and he didn't want me to back down.  I was confident that I was
going to win, hell, I just made weight! I met my opponent standing in line for the doctor. He seemed like a nice guy, even though in a few short hours, we would be knocking eachother around. I shook his hand and wished him luck.

Right before the fight, my coach told me to go out and do what he asked of me. I climbed into the ring and my stomach dropped. Obviously I was nervous, I was about to fight! I was introduced and called to the center of the ring. I touched gloves with my opponent before going back to my corner.

I waited for the bell to sound signifying the beginning of the fight. As soon as I heard it, I darted across the ring and hit my opponent in the face as hard as I could.. That is where my game plan turned. When I was going through the fight in my head, I forgot to take into account that since I was in a new weight class, the punches were going to come a lot faster! Punches were traded for the first thirty seconds of the fight then I got hit with an unsuspecting uppercut. I was not dazed or confused, but the referee still felt the need to give me a standing eight count. I put my gloves up to let him know I was okay. Punches were traded, once again. My opponent must have seen an opening as he took the opportunity to land a perfectly placed right hook on my face. I was knocked down and the referee stopped the fight. I was not knocked out, but the fight was lost.

As I sat in the corner after the fight, my opponent came over to shake my hand. While I was disappointed with the loss, I still had to hold my head high. I had accomplished something that many people could not. I set a goal to lose weight and transform my body and for two years, I never lost sight of that goal and I had finally hit it. Secondly, my I did everything my coach asked of me. How could I hang my head?

This is only the beginning of my new life. I am now at my weight class and in less than 11 months, I will be fighting for my country and the career I love in Ireland at the 2013 World Police and Fire games.