FOR THE FIGHTERS OUT THERE WHO KNOW WHAT IT IS TO LOVE THE GAME AND TRUST IN GOD

[diamonddavestafford]

Hi. I have posted here more than a few times as boxing is one of my most profound interests but this post is going to be a little more personal than all of the others. Boxing has always been a huge part of my life as my father and grandfather were way into it; i grew up around it,as a baby and a toddler, i watched all the big fights of the seventies before I really even understood what it was I was watching.

When I was 7, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease; a condition which most doctors believed would stop me from any kind of hard contact sport like boxing. Despite a near fatal hospitalization in 1996, I was able to get my body and mind back on the level and compete to a 4 win, no loss, one draw record in amateur boxing. I never fully believed I would ever turn pro and boxed purely out of love for the game. I was in training for another fight this summer when in January, I was told by my doctors I have cancer.

I just finished the chemotherapy and the radiation treatments last week and let me tell you, it is the closest thing to going through hell that I have ever experienced. We will not know for another month or two whether or not the treatments worked; hopefully they do and I will be cancer-free and will be able to get my body back in shape to fight again (after all the destruction the radiation and chemo has done, this in itself will be a challenge).

Well anyway, this post is addressing those out there who truly love boxing and understand what it means to have it a part of your life. What would you do if all of a sudden it was taken away? That is what I have been dealing with for the last three months. It has not been so much will I live through this (we dont know yet). It has been, will I be able to box again? (we don't know yet).

So please those of you out there who are fighters and who believe in God and for whom, like me, boxing is a gift; something that makes you feel truly alive and free...say a prayer for me. Even if it's only like a second or two long. I know I have a lot of people out there praying and telling me that I will make it. I guess what I really want is for people to pray for and tell me that I will be able to return to boxing at least one more time.


Thanks for listening.

Dave

[Brockton Bomber]

I've got a cc and a prayer for you buddy. Get well soon.

[Trainer Monkey]

My thoughts are with you,though Im done as a boxer,I can still spar and train those who can fight
Even if you never do it for a crowd again,may you at least be able to do that,just for yourself.
And dont worry,watching your fighter win is incredibly gratifying
Hoping for the best though,and hoping your just back in the ring ASAP

[CutMeMick]

You stay strong diamonddavestafford keep 'ya head up and ALWAYS look forward to the next day.
Behind the worst storms comes sunshine but you gotta get past those dark & gloomy days.

Hope all is well with you and your fam.

[TheBESTP4P]

CC 50 bro!

always turn to GOD for the answers and the strength bro!

ive been thru alot of hell and BS myself but its GOD and GOD alone i trust and thank for all my blessings!

when u got GOD on yourside you can do anything!

[BoxingGorilla]

Bless you, DiamondDave.

You have come along way since you were 7 years old (Did you ever think you'd be sitting on the couch with a blond as smokin' as the one in your avatar?) and you have a long way to go.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosperyou and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

[Tito BHB]

A prayer and a cc is the least i can do bro
Peace

[diamonddavestafford]

Thanks for the posts and ccs you guys. It has been a pretty hard year with this thing happening and all. Im not young but I am only 30 which is kind of young to be getting cancer. I will keep everyone updated as much as I can as far as my progress. Really Im just super laid up, recovering from the burns from the radiation. It's a kind of skin cancer called "squamous cell cancer" that appeared as a lump or tumor right between my balls n my ass (great spot right?) Needless to say, radiation to that area is excruciating and I am still limping to get around and not really moving much. For someone like me who used to be so physically active, it is surreal. All I can do is pray for a full recovery so that I can one day train and fight again...just visualizing being able to come back has really gotten me through the treatments, which were ungodly. It is now my focus while trying to heal and recover, which is maddeningly itchy as well as painful, believe it or not! They say it is important to keep a positive state of mind to get through situations like this. In that case boxing is once again helping me to keep that mindstate up, not just with the hope that I will one day be able to return to the ring, but also with the support from all of you here on the board...


I also update my site on Myspace so if anyone has that or wants to check it out...

www.myspace.com/dds619

Thank you so much again to everyone for their support and prayers...God willing, 'Diamond' Dave Stafford will one day be able to lace the title and the adidas back on for one more round!

[No Contest]

Keep a positive mental attitude, dont throw in the towel. Alot more people are recovering these days with the advances in medicine. Good luck man, there are alot of unconventional treatments as well, if the Chemo doesnt work there are other options. If I was you I would try some of the herbal remedies out there, and faith is always good.CC and get well soon.

[superheavyrhun]

As some might know, I'm a fairly recent convert to the sport of boxing, having got into it after working with a guy who was a passionate fan, and my casual interest (I was one of those fans that watch the big fights, and don't pay much attention if someone doesn't end up with a belt) into a passion for the sport.

I love the debate about fighters, arguing about who's better and how styles will match, and even when I criticise the heart of fighters, I know that if I stepped through the ropes, I would be dropping logs and I imagine that it is such a test of character. On a basic level, everyone who steps through the ropes with a matched opponent gets my respect.

As for your fight Dave, I can't believe I've gone from a thread where I have said that Freddie Roach is so inspirational, and your fight is equal to that, and I send you my own thoughts and prayers. It is good to see so many people that do put their faith in god here, whatever your denomination, and I second their messages.

Keep the faith bro, and He will see you through to his will, and please keep us updated on how things go with your treatment. At the end of the day CC's are jack s**t off here, but here's another one just for the heck of it.

[Trainer Monkey]

If you can beat another man,you can beat your body
Now go do it
Believe you can do it
If you win this one more time,you can go back to winning
Hell if you can stand in there with a guy who wants to take your head off,how hard is it for you to beat a bunch of uppity cells?
Go get em bro

[FeuerFrei]

My thoughts and prayers are with you, diamonddavestafford.
Stay strong, brother.