Dave Patriquin will soon be stepping into the ring and boxing to raise funds for cancer research.
The Sault native, now residing in the Batchawana Bay area, is one of 12 people who will voluntarily participate in the 2025 Fight To End Cancer Charity Gala in Toronto May 31 to support the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
“I'm super proud about it. There's an online application and then I flew down to Toronto for a couple of in-person interviews with people from Fight To End Cancer. I got accepted at the end of November,” Patriquin said.
For him, raising funds for this cause is personal.
“My brother passed away eight-and-a-half years ago from pancreatic cancer. I’m doing it for him, I’m honouring him. Unfortunately too many people have that same story and have been affected by cancer. I want to raise funds for cancer research,” Patriquin told SooToday.
The Fight To End Cancer Charity Gala was established in 2011. Originally intended to be a one-time event, it has become an annual event and includes men and women stepping into the ring for the first time fiercely competing in Olympic-style boxing after months of training.
“I've taken some boxing classes before but no fight experience. I’ll be wearing headgear and using Olympic-style, 16-ounce gloves. There will be 12 of us matched for six fights. The fights will be three two-minute rounds.
"There's been knockouts in the past at these events. You're not trying to hurt each other but it's a pretty serious sport. You get punched and anything can happen so I'm just going to keep my hands up,” Patriquin said.
In his early 40s, Patriquin stands at six-feet-two inches and weighs 205 pounds.
He has been matched with an opponent in the same age bracket, height and weight.
“I met him when I was down there in early January. For the most part, most of the fighters have a story. They’ve had family members or friends affected by cancer,” Patriquin said.
“I feel both excited and nervous about it. I’m training and you feel really good some days and then other days you feel pretty humbled about where you're at. The foot work can be a frustrating thing but overall I feel pretty good.”
Of the 12 contestants matched for the six gala bouts, Patriquin is the only one from northern Ontario, the rest from the Greater Toronto Area.
Fight To End Cancer organizers normally prefer participants to train at a designated gym in Toronto.
“They want the fighters to train there to keep an eye on them and know if they're actually training. It's so you don't get to the event and have a big lopsided match.
"That's the main reason why no one from outside the Toronto area has been selected. I applied and went down to the interviews and they made an exception for me this year,” said Patriquin, who is training at Steel City MMA.
“I'm also doing private sessions with coach Pat Kelly. I train a minimum of four times a week for boxing and I work out with weights.”
Patriquin said family members and friends will be attending the charity gala, which has raised nearly $3 million for Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation cancer research over the years.
Fight To End Cancer is hoping to reach the $4 million mark with the May 31 gala.
The gala will be held at the Old Mill Toronto, a prestigious venue in Etobicoke.
A single seat costs $650.
Ringside seats cost $10,000.
“It's a black tie event. They really do it up. They make it a cool experience for the audience," Patriquin said.
"They get big corporate sponsors for fundraising. They put on a big night. Fight To End Cancer has weekly events during the year but this one on May 31 is the big annual gala. Grafton Apparel is a big sponsor. They also sell little pins and key chains during the year and that money goes to fight cancer as well.
"They're pretty heavily involved,” he said.
Fight To End Cancer also requires each of the 12 gala contestants to raise their own funds for cancer.
“Just as much as training, personal fundraising is a requirement. I've set a goal of $15,000,” Patriquin said.
“There was kind of a goal, like having each fighter raise around $10,000. It wasn't a specific number but I wanted to go a little higher. It's tough going against these guys in Toronto that might have some big connections and so I'm trying to get local support. I’m trying to get that number up there. I'm going to start approaching some local businesses, see if they'll help out.”
As of the end of January, Patriquin had raised $3,925.
That’s 26 per cent of his $15,000 goal.
More information on Fight To End Cancer and its initiatives can be found on the organization's website.
Money can also be donated to Patriquin’s fundraising effort on a separate page on the Fight To End Cancer website.
“When my brother passed away I struggled in a dark place for a long time. I didn't really handle it very well. Now I'm in a much healthier place. I think boxing is a good challenge for myself,” he said.
“It keeps me healthy. I think if you had someone who had cancer and passed away you owe it to them to try to live your healthiest life and support them in that way, to keep yourself in a good mindset.”
Patriquin said he's taking a serious approach to being the only northern Ontario contestant in the Fight To End Cancer Charity Gala.
“It puts a little bit of pressure on me to make sure I'm keeping up with my training and fundraising. I want to do a good job in case there's someone in the future from Sault Ste. Marie or northern Ontario that wants to participate."