Dante Kirkman: Merging the Sweet Science with Education

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.

—

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

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE