Fort Myers man finds home in the boxing ring

FORT MYERS, Fla. Within the walls of Team Willis Boxing and Family Fitness, Brian Cannady is simply known as “Chappelle.”

That’s because the 20-year-old bears a striking resemblance to one of the most famous comedians in the world.

“One of the guys that use to come into the gym came in and was like ‘Man that little kid looks like (Dave) Chappelle,'” trainer Marcus Willis said. “We all looked and it was like, yeah he is like a little miniature Dave Chappelle”

But with drugs and violence at every corner, growing up was no laughing matter for Cannady. Luckily, boxing was always in the picture.

“I sit back and think about what my life would be like without boxing,” Cannady said, who started boxing when he was nine. “It worked out pretty well. I turned a negative into a positive.”

All that time spent in the gym also nurtured a burning obsession for Cannady.

“My goal has never been to be one of the greatest. It’s always been to be the greatest,” he said. “When people be like, ‘Well Muhammad Ali was great’ I want them to be like ‘I don’t know man. I think Brian was a little greater.'”

Cannady will compete for the Golden Gloves National Champion on Monday in Lafayette, Louisiana.

“I want to be a national champion,” Cannady said with Ali-like confidence. “I plan on breaking that. I’m going to break that. I’ve got to break that. I need to break that. I will break that. I’ve got to.”