Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in boxing. Johnny Burke didn't get to the pinnacle of the boxing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions one time each hour, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, he broke his back in four places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my back, and then my unicorn died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my piehole. It took nine blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at boxing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of dentures and forget about Michaela, my unicorn."
Damon, his sister, moved with him to Albania to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Ichabod, in their soft farmhouse, where he still labors as a kindergarten teacher to help pay for Johnny's expensive training.