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Danny O’Connor won 31 professional fights and represented the United States at the Olympics, but behind the success was an eating disorder that put him in hospital hours before the biggest opportunity of his career. O’Connor has revealed the extent of a battle he kept hidden while climbing the boxing ranks, including years of extreme measures to make weight and an inability to look at his own body. The former US Olympian skipped meals, deliberately dehydrated himself and took pharmaceutical laxatives as his obsession with making weight took hold. O’Connor eventually realized he was dealing with an eating disorder but believed the discipline developed through years of boxing would allow him to handle it himself. His physical and mental health deteriorated while his career continued in the opposite direction. “I may have made it to the Olympics as a boxer, but still I showered in the dark for years to avoid looking at myself,” O’Connor wrote in an account published by the National Eating Disorders Association. Hospitalized Before Ramirez Fight By 2018, O’Connor’s body could take no more. The Massachusetts fighter was 30-3 and preparing to challenge Jose Ramirez for the WBC super lightweight title in Fresno, California. The world title fight never made it to the ring. Hours before the fight, O’Connor was hospitalized with severe dehydration. The world title opportunity disappeared and he stepped away from boxing. “By 2018, my body had reached its limit. What should have been the biggest fight of my career – an opportunity against world champion Jose Ramirez – ended in a hospital room just hours before the bout,” said O’Connor. The episode forced O’Connor to confront what years of making weight had done to his relationship with food, weight and his own body. Five years passed before O’Connor boxed professionally again. He returned for one final fight in March 2023, recording the 31st victory of his career before walking away again. O’Connor’s career had already included a brutal setback. In October 2015, Gabriel Bracero knocked him out in the opening round of their rematch on Premier Boxing Champions, ending the contest with a devastating right hand. O’Connor rebuilt from that defeat and put together another winning run that eventually earned him the 2018 world title opportunity against Ramirez. More Than a Decade to Feel Free Leaving the ring did not provide an instant solution. O’Connor tried intensive outpatient programs, medical retreats, therapy, mindfulness and peer support. He also found himself searching for other male athletes dealing openly with the same problems. More than a decade after his battle began, O’Connor says he finally feels free. “That doesn’t mean my relationship with food is perfect, but I’ve learned that healing is an ongoing process, not a destination.” O’Connor has since founded DO Boxing Academy, a mobile enrichment program using non-contact boxing, mindfulness and yoga to work with at-risk young people. O’Connor is also raising awareness of eating disorders among men and the extreme weight-cutting practices still prevalent in combat sports. After spending years fighting the problem alone, O’Connor wants others to have something he never had. “And now, I want to be the person I needed back then.” About the Author Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.