Why boxing? Why Haymakers? Why am I doing this?

I ask myself this all the time. Every rep, every set, every time I hit, every time I get hit. Why am I doing this?

Here's the best I can figure:

The boxing comes from my father. Like many sons and fathers, I'm not sure we knew what to say to each other. Weeks would go by and we wouldn't say a word. But boxing...if there was a big fight on...Saturday afternoon, Saturday night...even if we hadn't talked for days on end, I knew my father and I would meet in front of the TV and we'd spend time together, happening into a conversation by accident.

Haymakers and the desire to raise money for cancer research comes from my mother: Like many sons and mothers, there was never a loss for words between us. My mother was at many times in my life my best friend and it always amazed me she knew me better than I knew myself. When I was 26, she passed on, cancer as you might imagine. When she was told there were no further medical options available, the death sentence delivered, her first words were: "You mean my son won't have a mother?" Her first thought was me. I'm not 10% that selfless.

So boxing. And battling cancer. Mom and Dad. This one's for you both.