Both fighters were firmly positioned in a wheelchair in the ring and Ian was jabbing and throwing all sorts of punches toward his opponent. The match took place under amateur boxing rules. Ian fought former New England Golden Gloves Champion Luis Reynoso of Springfield, Massachusetts in a 3 round wheelchair boxing exhibition. When I attended the show, I too was just as curious as the next person. You are probably wondering since Ian is confined to a wheelchair how in the world does he box in the ring?īack in April 2011, Ian was part of a show that was presented by Hard Hittin’ Promotions at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Ian is a well-liked, strong individual who refuses to let cerebral palsy stop him from achieving his goals in life. Ian is a true athlete and pushes himself beyond his own limits.Īll in all, Ian’s condition has not hindered him from following his passion for boxing. Sometimes I am guilty of being lazy and quit after a couple of rounds on the heavy bag. Think for one moment while Ian is doing boxing mitt training the difficultly he sometimes faces in just raising his arms to make contact with the mitt or just putting on a pair of boxing gloves. He is very appreciative to the people that have helped him throughout his life and career. The challenges he faces and faced are so small to each of us but in Ian’s eyes they are a major achievement. Depression is just one of the feelings he overcame. Some individuals cannot grasp in their own minds what he has overcome in his. We will never comprehend the amount of challenges that he faces in life and as a true athlete along with the feelings he experiences when there is negativity that goes along with the stigmatism from society. Don’t you think for one moment Ian would love to experience all those things and much more? Do you remember the first time you rode a bicycle or the time you slid into home plate to make that winning play? What about that new dance step you practiced and practiced until you got it right. No one will ever understand what it is like to be in Ian’s shoes. Ian is faced with more challenges than the average person faces each day. He requires help from his family, friends and the medical field. Ian’s daily activities and obligations are not typical of an 18 year old. This is a condition that affects the limb movements in which the nervous system does not work effectively and results in difficulty with movement or mental capability. I had the pleasure to speak with Connecticut native and wheelchair boxer Ian Cannon who has cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |