Rock 'N Rumble VIII: Ryan Hogan

During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rock ‘N Rumble VIII in Boston on May 17th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether their mom is battling, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Ryan Hogan, fighting out of EverybodyFights in South Boston.

Where are you from?
Braintree, Massachusetts

Where’d you go to college?
Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts

Did you play any sports growing up?
I played competitive sports as early on as I can remember. Over the years, I played baseball, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and even football (for all of a year). As I got older my focus shifted to baseball and soccer, and later solely to soccer, which I played year round. I played 3 years of varsity soccer in high school and was a co-captain my senior year. After high school, I played some intramural sports in college, but for the most part my athletic career was over. But, I never lost that competitive edge!

What do you do for work?
I am a licensed CPA. I spent the last ten years working in various finance roles; starting in public accounting and then transitioning to several roles within the bio-tech industry. About a year ago, I started my own consulting practice to get out of the corporate office life and have picked up some great clients along the way!

Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting?
I have always been intrigued by the sport of boxing. It is just so different from the team sports I played growing up since there are not other teammates to lean on. It really challenges you mentally and physically in ways other sports do not. There is no hiding from your shortcomings in the sport of boxing. Over the last decade I have spent short stints in boxing gyms and it got me through some tough times. It never escalated to more than just boxing as a form of fitness. About 18 months ago I found EverybodyFights and again, it has really helped me stay grounded. But again, up until now, it has always been a form of fitness rather than really learning the sweet science!

Why on earth did you sign up to fight??
Having been around EverybodyFights for the past 18 months, I have witnessed a couple groups of people train and fight for Haymakers for Hope. Some of these folks I am lucky enough to call friends, but all of them I am inspired by. I knew I wanted to sign up before the last Belles of the Brawl - but that night really cemented it for me. I saw how hard the Belles worked and they put it all on the line. If you have never been to an event, trust me, it is hard to walk out of the venue that night without feeling totally inspired. Also, there are so many people fighting much tougher battles on a daily basis. And if they can do that, and do it bravely, then I can take a few punches to support the cause.

You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you?
Oh man, I could go on forever on this one, but I will limit it to just a few examples for now. A couple years back, my grandfather lost a battle with Leukemia. He was in his 80's at the time he was diagnosed, so he very humbly decided that he would not undergo treatment. People make decisions like this every day and I can't help but admire the level of bravery required to do so. Similarly, my uncle is currently fighting incurable brain cancer. He was diagnosed almost two years ago now and has undergone multiple treatments and surgeries. He continues to fight and refuses to throw in the towel against all odds. How can I not be inspired by that level of courage? Lastly, my younger sister is an oncology nurse. She spent the the last few years working at Mass General and recently started a travel nursing stint. She spent her first rotation in Seattle and is now on her way to Arizona. Most of her work is done in Bone Marrow Transplant units, so as you can imagine, most of her patients are in pretty dire situations. As a nurse, she represents the first line of care and really gets to know her patients and their families. And unfortunately, more often than any of us would like, she loses patients. But, this doesn't stop her from going back into work and delivering the same compassionate level of care with a smile on her face. Honestly, I do not know how she does it and I couldn't be more proud of her. So again, how can I not step in the ring and fight for a cure? I need to do my part - no matter how small.

What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?)
Actually there really isn't any one thing I am worried about giving up. I am lucky to be in a position where I don't actually have to lose much weight - if anything I am going to have to work hard to maintain weight. I know, I know what a terrible problem to have! If I have to pick I guess I would say alcohol and sleep! It isn't going to be terribly difficult to give up alcohol - but every once in a while even not having just a drink or two to unwind will be a challenge. In terms of sleep, I suspect there will be a lot of early morning and late night training sessions so that is going to be tough. Luckily, I am an expert napper.

When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have?
That is easy. I have two dogs, Winston and Beatrice, and I love spending quality time with them. They are both very active dogs so we love going for hikes and trips to various parks. There is no better feeling than coming home to them every day, especially after a tough day of training. Otherwise, I like anything active, whether it be any outdoor activities in the summer or snowboarding in the winter. Oh, and binging tv shows is another specialty of mine.

Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night?
The easier question would be, "who isn't excited to watch me get punched in the face come fight night." I am thinking that would be a much shorter list! Actually, it might just be a one person list: my mom. I am sure all of my friends are excited to see me take some punches; however, I also hope it is because they are equally excited to see me hit back. No matter what, this is going to be the ride of a lifetime!

Be sure to check out his fundraising page here and wish him luck on Instagram! Best of luck, Ryan!