The awareness of Prevention of Child Abuse, is represented by a pinwheel. Children have the right to feel loved and protected, because they are innocent and pure.
Since children have limited mind sets to reason and logic, the child’s guardian or caregiver is there to see the child’s best interest, and implement the nurturing a child needs to grow to be a positive contributor in life and society.
It is important for the caregiver to have a healthy sense of mind and body well-being. Child abuse NEVER needs to happen.
I spoke with a few professional boxers, and they each lent their positive insight to how boxing may help manage stress, increase self-esteem, offer encouragement, and give the individual positive empowerment.
Here is what they had to say: Brian Adams, 17-4-1(8), retired super featherweight; currently the director of New York Golden Gloves”Boxing helps manage the stress level because it gives one the appreciation of an intense work out. No matter how mentally tight one is, after a day of training or boxing, it’s natural to just walk to relax in a calm, quiet environment.
“When it comes to positive thinking, boxing is comparative to chess because you are constantly trying to out-think your opponent. While training, one is trying to better his or herself from the previous work out or competition. So boxing forces a person to constantly think about being better”.
Jennifer “The Razor” Barber, 9-1(4), former NABF female featherweight titlist; currently a super featherweight contender: “I believe Boxing is a great way to stay fit as well as an excellent stress reliever.
There’s nothing like punching a heavy bag and releasing some stress. “Sometimes in Boxing you may feel as though that you CAN’T execute a certain technique or you can’t get pass the rigorous cardio conditioning but, with the assistance of a trainer, she/he can institute positive thinking like mine! “Positive thinking plays a HUGE role in boxing; its a mental sport and you have to develop a can do attitude at everything. I always repeat these fourwords over and over while walking to the ring: I can do this….I can do this…I can do this!
Francisco “Gato” Figueroa, 20-3-1(13), former NABF Light Welter Champion; currently a light welterweight contender who will be facing undefeated opponent Ruslan Provodnikov on May 21st for the vacant NABA light welterweight title and the WBO Intercontinental light welter weight title: “In any sport, being aware of who you are and the ability to have self awareness, helps you understand life and people. Being self aware of the situations both inside and outside the ring is something that’s needed in a human being.
“It helps you see people, behavior or emotions and can motivate people or see that they are not understanding and refer them to professionals, or you can give them advice. “For me, boxing has given me an out source to motivate people and get them off their ass and get them to their goals! As everyone knows, we “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”.
For what I get out of it is the ability to teach, as that is what I love doing!”By having positivity in your mind, all the while getting your body healthy and motivated, boxing is a great outlet and source to manage and cope with stress, anger, frustration, and very importantly, for your own well-being. It’s important to have a healthy mind and body, as we’ve just seen what these professional boxers had to say.
There are many ways to vent, to lead a more positive and healthy life, for yourself and those around you. You will find what’s right for you!

Annamarie Russo is an actress, a writer (including a weekly column about NFL fantasy football on-season and Prevent Child Abuse NY’s Blog), and is an identical twin to Ginamarie Russo, a Speech Communications, Rhetorical Studies and Public Advocacy major at Hofstra University. Annamarie has a passion to prevent and end child abuse.
For more information on the Prevention of Child Abuse, please visit www.preventchildabuse.org or you may contact me at bellezzaiswithin@aol.com.