Help Dee Moran get to 2021 USA Boxing Nationals

 

The purpose of this GoFund me page is to help assist me with the expenses of Travel, Room, Car rental, food, as well as any other necessary expenses acquired during my week at USA Boxing Nationals held in Shreveport, LA on December 5-12th, 2021.

First off would like to thank Everyone who has supported me in my boxing journey thus far. Your love and support does not come un noticed to me & I plan to continue to make you proud. I’m very fortunate and thankful everyday to say that I have found the love of my life, BOXING. My purpose isn’t over! I invite you to Help me get to the top!

 

Back in early April 2021, I became the 2020 USA Boxing National Champion at 125 lb in the Women’s Elite Division, held in Shreveport Louisiana. Now 9 months later, My team and I are working hard and looking forward to securing my second USA National Title again being held in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 5-11, 2021. (Full story below)
(Optional read )My Full Boxing Story: “Ms. Lady Tyson”

 

I would like to share my story with you, so you can get an understanding on my WHY. This sport has really molded me into the strong, independent, determined woman I am today. Most boxing stories begin with……“ I started boxing as a young kid”, well not my story. My story is unique to me and as much as wish I would have done things so differently throughout the years, Life has a beautiful way of making things happen for us regardless the time passed. If it’s meant for you, it will be yours.

I discovered my love for boxing 10 years ago at the age of 21 in Lake Forest, CA at a Fitness boxing gym by the name of LA Boxing club. At that time my older sister was dating an MMA fighter (Cub Swanson), who I am proud to say with hard work and determination is now in the UFC. I remember always asking him if I could go train with him at his gym. He would say “No, it’s not that type of gym”. I wanted to learn so bad, So I then joined LA Boxing, where I Met Jessica Penne my very first female MMA fighter encounter. She was a real female fighter and I thought it was so cool! She was pursuing her fighting career as well as coaching there. Eventually after taking some of her classes regularly she asked a few of us girls if we were interested in taking a new women’s sparring class that she was going to be coaching, “sign me up!” I said without knowing what I was getting myself into. When it came down to it, I was terrified to get in there. My very first time getting in the ring! She put me in there with a girl with the same amount of experience as I, NONE! However, she was much taller and bigger than me and I was convinced I was going to get my butt kicked. Little did I know that I had a good strong right hand because I caught her with my straight and she ran out the ring in tears! I couldn’t believe that little Dee did that! I felt bad for a second but can honestly say that in that same minute my heart was taken forever, Boxing got a hold of me. I felt so empowered and just wanted more, I was hooked for life! After a few weeks She had a full class of girls for women’s sparring and one day during class she said “half of you girls in the ring and the other half on the floor, we don’t all fit in the ring”, So I made my way up into the ring where I preferred and as I looked around none of the other girls got in the ring with me. I automatically thought it was because they didn’t like me and my heart was crushed. I felt like a little girl on her first day of school, no friends just the school teacher to eat lunch with. Jessica then said, “None of the girls want to spar you Dee you hit too hard, so I’ll spar you” in my heart I was hurt because being the social butterfly that I am, I wanted them to like me, I wanted friends but at the same time in my head I was like F yeah I get to work with the best here, a real fighter and I’ll only get better, Which I did and the love just continued to grow.

 

I would take back to back classes and eventually I was brave enough to admit it to myself that I wanted to compete. Just the thought of saying it out loud gave me the butterflies and chills, but I loved the feeling it gave me. I guess I was seeking and wanted reassurance from someone to tell me I was good enough. Now I know you must believe in yourself before anyone does.

I ended up moving back to my hometown of Cathedral City, CA to pursue boxing. I asked Cub if I could join him at the Coachella boxing club, a very well known boxing club in the desert. Cub said yes but that most likely the Diaz brothers wouldn’t work with me because I was a girl, but could still join him. When I got there I ran into Mr Jackson, the In School Suspension Teacher from my high school who I knew was a boxing coach. I watched him as he worked with female Pro Gloria Salas and I was so inspired and loved that he gave a female the opportunity to learn the craft! He was patient and I could tell that he truly cared.

 

Jackson for many years worked with former Welterweight champion, Timothy Bradley and his father Big Ray. Jackson took me under his wing and began to teach me the boxing fundamentals. Keep your hands up, taught me how important the jab is and to never let anyone get in my head. Till this day, I value everything he taught me. Jackson is the real deal, He Never charged me a dime, all he wanted was to give back was was given to him, the Boxing knowledge . Someone taught it to him when he was younger living in Bronx, NY and he just wanted to keep passing it down. All he asked for as a form of repayment was for me to continue to pass it down, which I will do.

The bond we began to create would later go farther then boxing. We would train 5-6 a week and 2-3 hours a day in his class room, we didn’t need a gym because we had eachother. I will NEVER forget the words he said to me, “Girl, when I’m done with you, you going to be able to walk into ANY gym and they will take notice of you!” And he was right! 10 years later I am proud to call him Dad. Boxing not only gave me purpose but even better has given me a Father.

 

With so much excitement on everything I was learning, we got ready and signed up for my very first amateur fight! The Desert Showdown held in Coachella at the Fantasy Springs Casino. Unfortunately, there was no one in the novice(beginner) division in my weight class of 141 lbs, but there was one girl in the open (advanced) division at my weight class. I just wanted to fight and had nothing to lose, so I asked her if she wanted to fight. Long story short, I Won and I found out after that she was nationally ranked! We kept the momentum and went onto fight at the State Golden Gloves, where I became a 2x CA State Golden Glove champion at 152 & 141 lbs, as well as another Desert Showdown title. I still can’t believe I fought those big girls!

I ended up moving to Los Angeles for work and to continue to pursue my boxing journey. I trained out of Wild Card Boxing Club which I met amazing friends and teammates. However, god had a different plan for me during those years living in Los Angeles. I took a step back from boxing and focused on work. One year off became two years and the years just kept stacking up. I missed boxing so much and since I wasn’t competing I decided to coach instead. Jackson did always say to give back what was given to me. I worked as a boxing instructor at Title Boxing club and Mayweather Boxing and Fitness. I really enjoyed teaching but deep down in my heart I felt a void. Like I didn’t complete what I started, was missing something, then this happened….

 

Two years ago I got offered a position in San Diego with my company whom I’ve been working for 8 years now. I was living my best life in LA and when I got offered the position I prayed at night that somehow I wouldn’t get it. It was more fear than anything, the fact that I didn’t know anyone in San Diego and just simply the fear of failing. So I took the position and made the move to San Diego. As soon as I moved I went in search for my part time boxing “gig” and figured it would be a good way to meet new people and network. One of my Southern Wine colleagues mentioned that one of the managers at our San Diego local office could possibly guide me find what I was looking for. I walked into the office of Al Gamez.

Little did I know that walking into the office of Al would truly change my life. I remember walking into his office & there being boxing pictures everywhere, came to find out he was also a cutman & loved boxing, instant connection!! With only meeting me once he still made sure I was put in the right hands and referred me to coach Basheer at the Arena Mixed Martial Arts Gym. I thanked Al for his guidance and told him I would keep in touch with my journey. 

The very next day I walked into the Arena in search for Coach Basheer Abdullah. It was my lucky day because he was holding a private lesson when I walked in. I told him Al had referred me and he asked if I was looking to compete and I said no “I just want to teach and train a little myself”. Without knowing coach’s background and that he was very selective with whom he worked with he still invited me to go back to train with the amateur team that evening. I was so excited to train even though my intentions were to teach but I figured, why not train too. That evening I got to work with the amateurs and I instantly felt that fire light back up in me! Being a part of a team, the guidance of a coach and simply just the boxing gym atmosphere. I kept delaying getting my part time job and continued to show up with the amateur team. A few months past and coach Basheer asked me what I wanted to do. He said, “Dee, you train every day with the amateur team and are consistent, what do you want to do?” I went home asking myself why wasn’t I competing, what was holding me back? My age, the fact that I’ve been gone from it for so many years… Then I said to myself, “Do it! If not now, when?!?” So I went back to Basheer and told him I was all in, I was going to compete!

 

After 5 years of not stepping into the ring, We set a goal to compete at the 2019 CA State Golden Gloves. We had a 4-6 week Boxing camp that included 5-6 days of 2 a days boxing training, sparring, 2x a week of strength and conditioning, as well as sprints. It was my fist camp in a long time and my body was feeling it. Fight week finally came! I was set to fight Friday against one of my ok’d teammates from Wild Card and was very excited. Well two days before my fight the world was shutting down so fast and they cancelled my fight due to COVID 19. I was devastated, we all were. So as the year went by and we were all living with so much anxiety and worry on what to expect, I really missed my team, my coach and just boxing. I told myself when it was over and I could finally get in there I would give it all.

Once things slowly started opening up again they announced 2020 U.S.A. Boxing Nationals to be held in November and that anyone could attend. I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to showcase all my hard work and skills. Once again we went through another intense camp and once again it was canceled due to COVID 19. As frustrated as I was, I knew my time would come. Be patient Dee, I would tell myself.

 

Finally they announced 2020 Nationals to be held in April 2021, Third camp and hungrier than ever. I was beyond ready. I was so confident and excited! I remember when I Arrived to Louisiana where nationals were being held and waiting to get the butterflies, but they didn’t come. I thought maybe they will come when I get to the convention center, but they didn’t come. Maybe the day of the fight, but nothing. That’s how calm and ready I felt. I went onto fight three consecutive evenings and made it to finals! To finally have the moment I manifested every morning when I would run… the announcer to say, “2020 U.S.A. Boxing National Championship Denise Moran!!!” What an honor and an accomplishment to me. If you would had told me a two years before that I would be a national champion I would of laughed! My hard work and determination is what got me here.

 

Now we get ready for another camp and another Nationals in the same year! I’m not hungry, I’m starving!!!! Let’s go! 2021 U.S.A. Boxing 125 lb women’s Elite 2X National Champion Denise Moran!

 

#Hardworkmanifestation