By TSS Special Correspondent RAYMOND MARKARIAN — It’s difficult to understand the mind of a fighter. At its core, a life filled with danger in the boxing ring is stranger than the normalcy of everyday work. Throw a punch or send an email, and you live with the consequences. Most boxers begin their journey at a young age, driven by self-promotion and personal ambition. But Dante Kirkman is not like most aspiring fighters.

A Stanford senior majoring in Art Practice, Dante is a highly educated young man with a passion for boxing — not for fame or financial gain, but for a deeper purpose. While most boxers are self-centered, focused on building their personal brand, Dante has a different vision. He wants to merge the worlds of education and boxing, using the sport as a platform to give back to the community.

“I want to go all in with my boxing,” Dante says. “But outside of that, my family and I are creating a non-profit to help kids with their education. My family has always been big on education.”

Dante’s commitment to education stems from his upbringing. His brother ran a non-profit focused on helping underserved communities prepare for college and SATs, a mission Dante is determined to continue. His goal is to combine his love for boxing with his passion for mentoring and uplifting others.

“I believe in using my life to help others,” he explains. “My family raised me with a deep sense of faith and selflessness. We grew up Catholic-Christian, always trying to do good for others. I believe God has a purpose for everyone, and this is what my life looks like.”

It’s a rare perspective in a sport where most 23-year-old professional boxers are focused primarily on their own careers. But for Dante, boxing isn’t just about personal glory. It’s about creating opportunities for others to grow, both inside and outside the ring.

“While I box, I want to continue to build my non-profit,” he says. “I want to combine these two worlds — education and boxing.”

Dante’s family has supported his boxing journey since he first stepped into the ring at 10 years old. They’ve always encouraged him to focus on his education first. “The same way basketball or football players go to the NBA or NFL after college, I’m just continuing with boxing,” he says.

Now 3-0 as a professional, Dante, a middleweight, plans to fight several times this year. He trains at B Street Gym in Downtown San Mateo, California, under the guidance of former bantamweight and featherweight campaigner and three-time world title challenger Eddie Croft.

Dante’s love for boxing is shaped by the fighters he admires. He’s a fan of Andre Ward and Floyd Mayweather, two athletes who, in his eyes, embody the artistry of the sport. “Being in Silicon Valley, I’ve been around people who don’t really understand what boxing is,” he says. “Most people think of the Rocky movies, but boxing is so much more masterful and artful than people give it credit for. I realized that because I’m a huge fan of Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward. Those two lived and breathed the art of the sport.”

Dante is not just inspired by their success, but by their intelligence in the ring. “The top 1% of fighters are smarter than people give them credit for,” he says. “Boxing is a mental game as much as it’s a physical one.”

As a modern athlete, Dante is no stranger to the influence of social media. His TikTok and Instagram accounts document his journey in the boxing world, providing a behind-the-scenes look at his training, personal growth, and the highs and lows of his professional debut. These platforms allow him to share his story with a broader audience, blending his passion for the sport with his commitment to education.

Despite the risks of boxing and the bright future he could have in other fields, Dante is committed to his dual pursuit of the sweet science and education. It’s an unconventional path, but for Dante Kirkman, it’s the one that feels right.

Note: Kirkman returns to the ring on March 8 against an as-yet-undetermined opponent at the Thunder Valley Casino in the Sacramento suburb of Lincoln, California.

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You can connect with author Raymond Markarian at TikTok @huntsports and on Instagram @raymarkarian

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Here is the concluding segment of our annual, two-part, end of year necrology where we pay homage to boxing notables who left us last year.

July

July 21 – RICHIE SANDOVAL – A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that was marooned by the boycott, Sandoval was 29-1 as a pro. He wrested the lineal bantamweight title from Jeff Chandler in one of the biggest upsets of the 1980s, rucking the Philadelphian into retirement, and then nearly lost his life in his third title defense vs. Gabby Canizales. Quick work by paramedics saved his life and he spent his post-boxing career working in various capacities for Top Rank. At age 63 of an apparent heart attack at the home of his son in Riverside County, California.

August

Aug. 1 – JOE HAND SR. — A former Philadelphia policeman, Hand was one of the original investors in the Cloverlay Corporation which sponsored Joe Frazier. He later opened a boxing gym that produced 14 national amateur champions and as a businessman was on the cutting edge of the pay-per-view industry, distributing boxing and UFC events to bars and casinos around the country. At age 87 from complications of covid-19 in Feasterville, PA.

September

Sept. 12 – FRED BERNS – During a 44-year career that began in 1968, Berns, an ex-Marine and former Chicago policeman, promoted or co-promoted more than 500 shows. He and his matchmaker Pete Susens plied the Midwest circuit but ventured as far from their Indianapolis base as Anchorage. At age 84 in Indianapolis.

Sept. 21 (approx.) – JOHNNY CARTER – Nicknamed “Dancing Machine,” Carter came to the fore in Las Vegas where he had his first 10-rounder in his fifth pro fight and compiled a 13-1 record en route to a 1992 date with his former Philadelphia high school classmate Jeff Chandler, the defending WBA world bantamweight champion. He lost that fight (TKO by 6) and finished 33-8. At age 66 of an undisclosed cause in Philadelphia.

Sept. 29 – MYLIK BIRDSONG – A welterweight with a 15-1-1 ledger, “King Mylik” was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on a Sunday afternoon while standing on the sidewalk with his girlfriend outside his South Central Los Angeles home. He was 21 years old.

October

Oct. 10 – MAX GARCIA – A former preschool teacher, Garcia was the linchpin of boxing in Salinas, California (60 miles south of San Jose) where he coached amateur and pro boxers for 27 years. His son Sam Garcia carries on his legacy at the gym co-owned by their protégé, featherweight contender Ruben Villa. At age 74 after a long illness in Salinas.

Oct. 24 – ADILSON RODRIGUES – The Brazilian answered the bell for 452 rounds in an 18-year career that began in 1983. He finished 77-7-1 with 61 KOs but was exposed by Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, both of whom stopped him in the second round. In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. At age 66 in Sao Paulo.

Oct. 28 – ALONZO BUTLER – His 34-3 record was forged against a motley lot of opponents, but “Big Zo” was no impostor; he would have assuredly accomplished more with a stronger team behind him. Longtime sparring partner Deontay Wilder called Butler the hardest puncher with whom he had shared a ring. In Knoxville at age 44 where the Tennessee native was reportedly exhibiting signs of early-onset dementia.

Oct. 28 – JOHNNY BOUDREAUX – The Texas journeyman scored his signature win in Don King’s scandal-scarred Heavyweight Unification Tournament, winning a hotly-debated decision over Scott LeDoux. He left the sport with a 21-5-1 record after losing a split decision to future titlist Big John Tate and entered the ministry. At age 72 of an undisclosed cause in Houston.

Oct. 31 – DOMINGO BARRERA – A 1964 Olympian for Spain who finished 40-10 as a pro, Barrera had two cracks at the 140-pound world title in 1971, losing a 15-round split decision to Argentine legend Nicolino Loche in Buenos Aires and then getting stopped in 10 frames by Bruno Arcari in Genoa in a messy fight in which Barrera allegedly suffered a knee injury from a coin tossed into the ring by a disgruntled fan. At age 81 in his native Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

December

Dec. 2 – ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – A three-time world champion at 122 pounds, “El Magnifico,” the son of a Mexico City undertaker, will be forever linked with his four-time rival Rafael Marquez. Their second and third encounters, in 2007 and 2008, were named Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. In Huntington Park, California, a cancer victim at age 46.

Dec. 11 – NEIL MALPASS – Active from 1977 to 1990, after which he became a youth boxing coach, Malpass seemed destined for big things when he upset Danny McAlinden in his 10^th pro fight, but his career sputtered and he finished 28-19-1. In 1989, as his career was winding down, he won a regional heavyweight title with a 10-round decision over Gypsy John Fury (Tyson’s dad), the bout for which he would be best remembered. In Doncaster, Yorkshire, of an apparent heart attack at age 69.

Dec. 20 – THIERRY JACOB – One of three fighting brothers, Jacob was a five-time world title challenger. The third time was a charm. He unseated WBC 122-pound belt-holder Daniel Zaragosa, but lost the title in his first defense, stopped in two rounds by Tracy Patterson. Active from 1984 to 1994, he finished 39-6. In his native Calais, France, at age 59 from lung cancer.

Here in our annual end-of-year report, we pay homage to the boxing notables who left us in the past year in a two-part story. May they rest in peace.

January

Jan. 22 – CAMERON DUNKIN – Named the BWAA Manager of the Year in 2007, Dunkin was involved with more than 30 world title-holders including Diego Corrales, Kelly Pavlik, and Tim Bradley. It was said of him that no one was better at spotting a diamond-in-the-rough at an amateur boxing tourney. At age 67 in Las Vegas after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Jan. 31 – NORMAN “BUMPY” PARRA – Active from 1962 to 1968, Parra, a U.S. Army veteran, was 17-4-5 in documented fights and was briefly recognized as the California bantamweight champion. In retirement he trained several fighters and established several boxing clubs for disadvantaged youth in the San Diego area. At age 84 in San Diego.

February

Feb. 2 – KAZUKI ANAGUCHI – He lost consciousness in his dressing room after losing a close 10-round decision to Seiyo Tsatsumi in Tokyo on Dec, 23, 2003, and spent more than a month in a deep coma before succumbing to his head injury. The see-saw contest, the semi-final to a Naoya Inoue title fight, was named the Japan Domestic Fight of the Year. An Osaka-born bantamweight, Anaguchi was 23.

Feb. 4 – CARL WEATHERS – He appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows but would be best remembered for portraying the Muhammad Ali-inspired character Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone in the first four installments of the “Rocky” franchise. At his home in Los Angeles where he passed away in his sleep of an undisclosed illness at age 76.

Feb. 13 – IGNACIO ESPINAL – a 1968 Olympian, he never won a world title but had the misfortune of competing in the era of Miguel Canto, arguably the greatest flyweight ever. He was 0-2-1 vs Canto across 35 closely-contested rounds and finished 35-14-4. In Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, his birthplace, at age 75.

March

March 4 – JIMMY HEAIR – Raised in Mississippi and Colorado, the son of a Pentecostal minister, he came to the fore in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, the glory days of the Olympic Auditorium. Heair won his first 33 fights, rising to #3 in The Ring rankings at lightweight and finished 94-34-1 (65 KOs) during a 19-year career in which he answered the bell for 862 rounds. At age 71 at a nursing home in Okolona, Mississippi, after a long battle with pugilistic dementia.

March 22 – ALESIA GRAF – A Belarus-born German, Graf was active as recently as 2019 when she fought Dina Thorslund for the WBO world super bantamweight title. She finished 29-8 with five of her losses coming in legitimate world title fights. At age 43 in Stuttgart of undisclosed causes.

March 22 – BOB LEE SR. – A former police detective, he was the Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Athletic Commission when he left to found the International Boxing Federation (IBF) in 1983. As president, he instituted several important safety features but his reputation was sullied when he was convicted of taking bribes for higher ratings for which he served 22 months in a federal prison. At age 90 in Edison, New Jersey.

March 26 – LAVELL FINGER – A National Golden Gloves champion at 138 pounds, Lavell and his twin brother Terrell (who passed away in 2019) turned pro on the same card in their hometown of St. Louis in 1989. Lavell was 25-1 when he retired in 2009, returning six years later for three more fights. At age 55 in Katy, Texas.

March 31 – JAN KIES – The South African southpaw answered the bell for 230 rounds during a nine-year career that began in 1969, finishing 31-11. His best win came early in his career when he knocked out former world title-holder Jean Josselin in 63 seconds, sending the Frenchman off into retirement. At age 76 in Krugersdorp, SA.

April

April 7 – RICKEY PARKEY – Active from 1981 to 1994, Parkey lost his last 12 fights to finish 22-20, but in his prime was one of the world’s top cruiserweights. He briefly held he IBF version of the world 190-pound title, a diadem he lost to Evander Holyfield who stopped him in three rounds. At age 67 at a nursing home in his hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a victim of lung cancer.

April 11 – GARY SHAW – He began his career in boxing as an inspector with the New Jersey Athletic Commission and went on to promote or co-promote some of the highest-grossing fights of the early 20^th century before crossing over to MMA. On his 79^th birthday at his home in South Florida where he had been bedridden following a January heart attack.

April 15 – WILLIE LIMOND – The Scotsman won a slew of regional titles after turning pro as a lightweight in 1999, finishing with a record of 42-6. In his most recent bout, in September of last year, he was stopped in eight rounds in a heavily-hyped domestic showdown with former three-division title-holder Ricky Burns. At age 45 at a hospital in the Glasgow suburb of Airdie nine days after suffering an apparent seizure while driving.

April 27 – ARDI NDEMBO – A Congolese heavyweight with an undefeated record (8-0, 7 KOs), Ndembo was knocked unconscious on April 5 in Miami while representing the Las Vegas team in the fledgling World Combat League. A 27-year-old father of two, he left the ring on a stretcher, was placed in a medical coma, and died 22 days later without regaining consciousness.

May

May 20 – IRISH PAT MURPHY – A welterweight from West New York, New Jersey, Murphy opened his career with 25 straight wins, earning him a date with Canadian champion Donato Paduano who saddled him with his first defeat. Their match at Madison Square Garden was the main event on a card with George Foreman and Chuck Wepner in supporting bouts. He finished 34-14-2 in a 13-year career that began in 1967. At age 74 at his home in Secaucus, NJ.

May 21 – ART JIMMERSON – A cruiserweight during most of his career, Jimmerson fought the likes of Orlin Norris, Vassiliy Jirov, and Arthur Williams. He lost his last nine fights before transitioning to MMA, finishing his boxing career with a record of 33-18. At age 60 of an apparent aneurism while driving to work at a UFC gym in Los Angeles.

June

June 15 – ENRIQUE PINDER – He became the fifth fighter from Panama to win a world title when he took the WBA/WBC bantamweight belts from Rafael Herrera in 1972, winning a 15-round unanimous decision. His title reign lasted only six months and he left the sport with a 35-7-2 record. In Panama City at age 62 where he had been dealing with heart problems.

June 26 – STEFFEN TANGSTAD – A two-time European heavyweight champion, the Norwegian retired in 1986 with a 24-2-2 record after being stopped in the fourth round by defending IBF world heavyweight champion Mihael Spinks. In retirement he remained in the public eye in Scandinavia as a TV boxing commentator. In Tonsberg, Norway at age 65 after a long battle with a neurological disorder that left him partially paralyzed.

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