Boxing often encourages self-loathing, ego-maniac behavior, and
it is often hard to pin-point a boxers true identity.
In light of it all, a change of pace is always welcomed.
Seeing pure, unadulterated joy on a 6-year-old child’s face
tends to make us jaded adults feel good about life in a
reflect-outward sort of way.
Witnessing the reason, and learning the background, to why he’s
smiling makes it more mind-boggling and emotional.
It goes beyond boxing. That much is evident.
It reaches past the hype and the glamour of a main event.
It is about the people — the children, the adults and the families.
Inundated with negativity around every corner — across the world, throughout the United States, in third-world, poverty-stricken nations — it is easy to become cynical and presume everyone has a hidden agenda slanted only to benefit themselves.
On another spectrum, the sporting universe is constantly flooded with athletes’ poor behavior. Ben Roethlisberger is the latest big-name athlete to find himself neck-deep in controversy.
Boxing often encourages self-loathing, ego-maniac behavior, and it is often hard to pin-point a boxers true identity.
In light of it all, a change of pace is always welcomed.
Seeing pure, unadulterated joy on a 6-year-old child’s face tends to make us jaded adults feel good about life in a reflect-outward sort of way.
Witnessing the reason, and learning the background, to why he’s smiling makes it more mind-boggling and emotional.
Watching a 27-year-old professional boxer entertain that cheerful youth, giving him tips on how to perfect a mean one-two jab combination with a similar smile on his face allows for a breath of fresh air, exhaling the negative that often floats around professional athletes as if it is part of their persona.
Aidan Bowen was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia when he was 3 years old. His dad, David, says Aidan has no memory of life before all the treatments, the trips to the emergency room, the chemotherapy and the daily life-and-death struggle.
Holding an open training session for members of the media, fans and one very special guest, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero demonstrated once again that his ferocious style inside the ropes is easily tamed when it comes to what really matters.
Connected through a terrible disease, the same disease his wife Casey has been battling since 2007, Guerrero helped Aidan form some fond childhood memories.
The bubbly guest of honor, who was named the 2010 Boy of the Year by the Silicon Valley and Monterey Chapter of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, got to hold the three-time world champion’s shiny belts, pose for pictures and filmed for the local news as part of the workout session at San Jose Boxing and Fitness on Tuesday.
So consumed with what was going on around him, Aidan was sporting a magnetic grin throughout the day, barely slowed down enough to say “yes” when asked if he was having a good time.
“I’m really proud of Aidan because I feel like he deserves this,” David said. “The Leukemia Lymphoma Society has been so great to him.”
It’s a welcomed tangent to an otherwise difficult three years for Aidan, who has one year left of chemotherapy, David said.
“He is in full remission,” he said. “It hasn’t been a piece of cake for him. He has had some really close calls, fighting for his life with infections. He always seems unphased, undaunted. He is just full of energy now and he’s doing great.”
“Boxing is like Disneyland compared to what (Leukemia patients) go through,” Guerrero said, taping his hands before his ring workout. “I’m happy to be in the position I am in … to be able to raise awareness and
to talk about it as much as I can and hopefully find someone to go and be a donor, because that one person, who knows, can save 10, 15 people.
Being a donor is the easy part. All you have to do is go and give blood.”
Guerrero vacated his IBF Junior Lightweight title back in February after his wife Casey received a bone marrow transplant, dropping out of a bout with Michael Katsidias in what was to be the biggest pay day of
his career.
With Casey making a steady recovery, Guerrero is preparing for his return to the ring on Friday in a main event fight with Roberto Arreita as part of “Solo Boxeo Tecate.” Simultaneously, as he trains for his fight, Guerrero became involved with the Silicon Valley and Monterey Chapter of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year campaign, a large fundraiser aimed at blood cancer research.
Publicity? Sure, for blood cancer awareness, and a little recognition never hurt anyone. But exploitation? I don’t think so.
Jill Popolizio, senior campaign manager for special events for the LLS, was also in attendance Tuesday, meeting Guerrero for the first time.
“We are fully aware of the amount of awareness he will bring,” Popolizio said. “We feel incredibly fortunate and grateful.”
For Aidan, Casey and the thousands of other cancer survivors and their families, simple gestures of good will go a long way in making each day that much better.
As a world champion boxer, Guerrero has the opportunity to use his fame as a catalyst and he is choosing to do just that.
And how can you argue with that?
