Give it your all, Crowley urges students
Lay a solid foundation for your life, boxing champion urges Crestwood students
After explaining how his dedication to boxing changed his life, professional boxer Cody Crowley encouraged Crestwood Secondary School students to lay a solid foundation for theirs by giving it everything they’ve got.
“It all starts right now, right here,” the Canadian Professional Boxing Council international champion told more than 60 students and staff at the Sherbrooke St. school days before his third homecoming match at the Memorial Centre.
“The Crippler” reminded students that he was once an overweight child and scrappy teenager who hit rock bottom. He understands youth who feel like they know everything and don’t accept support given to them by teachers, for example.
“That’s how I felt, too, before I started boxing,” he said.
Even when he took up the sport, he came home with a broken nose, concussions and swollen lips because of his initial lack of dedication, Crowley said. Boxing taught him the more he put into it, the more he would get out.
“That’s when I really started to see a change in my life,” he said.
When he started, he would also be combative outside of the ring; Crowley said he would “rage and freak on people.” But he developed a more calculated approach that he soon also began applying outside the ring.
“My dedication to boxing changed by life,” he said.
Crowley, 25, played a short video with highlights from his Sept. 30 match against Richard Holmes – Homecoming II – at the Memorial Centre.
Afterwards, he told students that was the final product – they did not see the time, hard work and dedication that went into achieving his goal.
“I put in the work and got the results I wanted,” he said, urging student to lay a solid foundation for their lives at school and to build their way up.
Crowley explained how his goal includes a 10-year period, until he turns 30, where he is making sacrifices in order to pursue his dreams. Eating unhealthy foods and spending time with friends and family are just a couple of examples.
“Those are the kinds of things I am willing to give up to chase my dreams,” he said.
That includes being an actor – Crowley told students he just got his first acting gig, in a commercial, a couple of weeks ago.
Crowley’s Las Vegas trainer, Ibn Cason, echoed his message. He recalled how his student didn’t listen at first – and the evidence was on his face.
He explained how just about anything one can do in life has already been done – meaning there are people around who can help students shorten any learning curve.
Like Crowley, Cason – now 42 – said he was cocky when he was young.
“I thought I was the man,” he said.
Back then, he traded short-term gain for longterm pain and ultimately couldn’t qualify for college because of all the fun he had in high school.
“If I could go back now, I would listen,” Cason said, encouraging students to accept the wisdom of their teachers. “You cannot be upset when you’ve given it your all. That’s all your teachers want from you, because they see your potential.”
Proud of how far Crowley has come, he urged students to look at him. “Not only is he a good athlete, he is a good human being … This is Peterborough right here.”
Town Ward Coun. Dean Pappas arranged the presentation and accompanied the men.
Crowley (13-0, 7 KOS) will take on Hamilton’s Kevin Higson (14-1, 1 KO) for the vacant CPBC super-welterweight title Saturday as part of Mayhem At Memorial. Crowley’s title will be up for grabs, but Higson’s National Championship of Canada belt is not.
The Douro native and St. Peter Secondary School graduate also gave away tickets to the upcoming show and event merchandise to students who competed in a couple of fitness challenges following the presentation.
Crowley also spoke to the students on May 8, 2017, before he fought Eddie Ortega for the international title as part of the original Homecoming show at the PMC.
Tickets for Saturday’s card are available at the
PMC box office or at www.memorialcentre.ca. It will also be televised live on YourTV.