#198: Eating Disorders Amongst Male Professional Athletes with Danny O'Connor

Danny O'Connor is a U.S. Olympian, WBC International Champion, and two time National Amateur Champion with an elite professional boxing record of 31-3. A former top-ranked contender, Danny has competed on the world stage for nearly two decades, fighting on major networks like Showtime, ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports 1. He represented Team USA on the 2008 Olympic Boxing Team and has been a dominant force in the ring as both a U.S. Nationals Champion and multi-time international competitor.

Beyond the ropes, Danny's commitment to trauma-informed care and youth advocacy is reflected in his certifications in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), his training in Chris Germer's Mindful Self-Compassion, and completion of the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), he has directly supported youth navigating the foster care and judicial systems.

Drawing from his lived experience, Danny and his wife Diane co-founded DO Boxing Academy, a groundbreaking mobile, non-contact fitness boxing program rooted in a whole-child approach to development. The program fosters social, emotional, mental, and physical growth through a proprietary blend of boxing fundamentals, mindfulness practices, yoga, and trauma-informed curriculum developed in collaboration with licensed mental health clinicians.

DO Boxing Academy partners with organizations to deliver on-site enrichment programming, with a focus on serving at-risk and underserved youth. The academy has been successfully implemented in a wide range of settings, including nonprofits, youth residential detention centers, adolescent substance abuse treatment facilities, and is currently operating within the public school system. By combining movement, mentorship, and mental health education, DO Boxing Academy is designed to break cycles of trauma and empower youth with tools for resilience and long-term success.

We discuss topics including:

• What led to Danny hitting his bottom

• Realizing that his habits and coping habits/skills were no longer effective

• The sport of boxing and the weight class he was in

• Being a very private person

• Leaving the sport of professional boxing and focusing on treatment of his eating disorder

• How to support and help other males

SHOW NOTES:

www.doboxingacademy.com

www.instagram.com/therealdannyoconnor

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