During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rumble in the Rockies II in Denver, CO on June 6th. 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 Kevin Funk, fighting out of ToS Boxing Gym.

Where are you from?
Littleton, CO

Where’d you go to college?
University of Colorado - SKO BUFFS

Did you play any sports growing up?
I did - I dabbled in just about everything. Soccer and basketball were the two big ones when I was a kid. That morphed into football and track in high school and finally, triathlon in college.

What do you do for work?
I'm a landman for a Canadian oil and gas producer in Denver. I'm responsible for researching mineral rights to properties in Utah, finding their owners, and negotiating with those owners to obtain the rights for my company to drill.

Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting?
I've definitely had a standing interest in boxing - I'll watch a fight here and there on TV and I'm a huge fan of boxing movies like Rocky and Southpaw. I never, in a million years, thought I'd actually compete.

Why on earth did you sign up to fight??
Honestly, to commit myself to a great cause and test my mettle a bit. It's been a long time since I was competitive in a sport and this seems like a great opportunity to get those juices flowing again. When you throw in the component of competing for a cause like fighting against cancer, it was a no brainer.

You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you?
It's funny looking back - when I signed up, I really hadn't thought about what was motivating me to try an step in the ring. Once I got my selection e-mail, I started thinking hard about the disease and how it affects so many people. My mom lost her mother when she was 25 to ovarian cancer and a good family friend was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Luekemia when he was 26 (which he faught and subsequently beat).

What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?)
Pizza and Chipotle - hands down. Anyone that says you're either a burrito or a pizza person doesn't know what they're talking about :)

When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have?
Probably a few too many - snowboarding, golf, hunting, and my German Shepherd pup, Goose.

Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night?
Probably my girlfriend - for procrastinating on all my chores last weekend.

Be sure to check out him fundraising page and wish him! Best of luck, Kevin!