Derric Rossy: From the Gridiron to Boxing Ring

Derric Rossy was one of the greatest football players ever to walk the halls of Patchogue-Medford High School – an All-American, Hansen Award winner, two-time All-County and All-State player. He led the Raiders to back-to-back Long Island championships before going on to a successful career with then Big East power Boston College.

Upon graduating, Rossy had dreams of playing football professionally, but the road took an unexpected yet unbelievable turn. He became a boxer and currently has a professional record of 25-4.

More than a decade ago, at “6-2, maybe 175 pounds,” Rossy was a star three-sport athlete at Pat-Med from 1994-1998, leading the Raiders to the Division I Long Island championship in his junior and senior seasons. He credits coach Bob Sconone and the whole staff for his development into a Hansen Award winner and SuperPrep and USA Today All-America honoree. Rossy was also an All-League basketball player for John Baumiller and played two seasons of baseball.

On the gridiron, he’d always played all over the field – linebacker, tight end, wide receiver, fullback. Rossy accepted a scholarship to play at Boston College, where he transformed into a defensive end. His work contributed to four straight Bowl appearances by the Eagles.

In terms of a professional football career, Rossy was considered a tweener – too small to play defensive end, too big to play linebacker. He visited the boxing gym to shed weight to pursue a linebacking spot in the pros. Instead, he fell in love with the sport known as the Sweet Science.

“I figured that it was a good way to keep muscle on but lose the weight,” Rossy said. “That’s when I found my first coach, Al Gavin, the famous cut man (who had worked in the corners of legends, including Lennox Lewis and Oscar de la Hoya). I didn’t think I’d find a passion way I did, but I did.”

He won the 2004 Golden Gloves and turned pro shortly thereafter. Rossy cruised through his first 15 bouts before running into Eddie Chambers, the man responsible for three of his four professional losses. Rossy lost to the Philly fighter by seventh-round TKO in his own backyard, the fight taking place at Suffolk County Community College in Selden. At that point, he’d had just 15 fights under his belt, none against premier fighters in the division.

“I bit off a little more than I could chew,” said Rossy. “I didn’t understand the game. I get it now.”

Four months later, he knocked out Ronald Bellamy for the vacant WBF International heavyweight title – his first pro belt – also added the WBC FECARBOX and WBC USNBC championships as well by beating Moises Droz and Carl Davis Drumond respectively.

In 2007, his fight preparation went to a whole new level. He trained at the Shaolin Monastery in China helped shape him as a fighter and as a person. Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe was originally scheduled to train with the monks as part of his comeback attempt, but decided against it. In his place, Rossy learned martial arts, self-defense and exercise techniques, as well as revamped his diet in preparation for a clash with legend Ray Mercer for the WBO NABO championship bout in Macao. Rossy won by unanimous decision.

“They helped me really understand that anyone’s capable of anything,” Rossy said of his three months at the Monastery. “The only thing that stops you is yourself. I’ve been an athlete all my life, and if you don’t believe that you can win, no way you can. That was the biggest influence on me. Now I’m really secure in what I do.”