A professional boxer from Baltimore has big dreams, both inside and outside of the ring.Dorian Bastick grew up in foster care. He barely knew his mother and his father was in prison. He suffered abuse and watched as his friends turned to lives of crime and ended up behind bars.
Despite the adversity, the 31-year-old earned a bachelors degree, and masters degree. He is currently six credits away from earning a Ph.D.from Walden University and is working two jobs to pay for his education.
He was given a boxing scholarship and won the Boxing Collegiate Championship. He continued to rack up wins on the amateur circuit but recently decided to go professional.
A few weeks ago, Bastick, who calls himself the "educated boxer," fought in his first ever professional boxing match and won. Now he has his eyes set on winning a championship.
"I think about the abuse I went through," he said. "All the different types of abuse. I think about the hurt that I walk around with. I just think about growing up as a kid and looking up at the stands, and you never see anybody there to see you participate."
When he's not in school or training at North Avenue's Umar Boxing, Bastick works as a part-time social worker helping kids. He hopes he can set an example for them never to give up and keep pushing forward, no matter what trials life may through at them.
"I'm going to do whatever it takes to win every championship and climb every mountain," he said. "What makes you good at boxing is when you do things when you're tired."
Bastick has created a GoFundMe page to help raise money so he can continue fighting and finish up his degree.