When I first started sparring, I think I cried darn near every time I sparred for about my first month and intermittently for my first year. I’d be in the ring, getting in my sparring rounds and right after, damned if the tears didn’t start coming. I’d toss off my headgear, run for my gym bag and blaze the hell out of the gym trying not to be seen. I felt humiliated, as if crying only happened to me and that I was some sort of baby in the eyes of others. A weakling.

The worst part was that I didn’t even know why the tears would come. As I was headed home I couldn’t even determine what brought on the tears. Sometimes nothing monumental would happen. I didn’t even have to take a big punch and the tears would overcome me like a bad dream.