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On May 27, David Whittom walked into a Fredericton boxing ring to the tune of Duran Duran’s “Wild Boys,” wearing his trademark red and white trunks. Emblazoned on his white frilled belt were the three capitalized words he wanted every opponent to read: MADE IN HELL.

Whittom was still struggling to escape that hell. The fight in Fredericton — against Gary Kopas for the vacant Canada Professional Boxing Council Cruiserweight title — was his last chance to do so.

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At 38, Whittom was past his prime and his coach, Frank Duguay, knew it. He only agreed to train his former student on the condition that this be his last fight before retirement.

He fought his addiction. He fought in the ring. And in the end, he fought for his life

Whittom’s career was one of unfulfilled potential after an on again, off again battle with drug abuse and alcoholism. Heading into the fight, Whittom was sober for 26 months. Retiring after winning his first Canadian championship would seal his redemption.

But on March 16, Whittom died of pneumonia after spending 10 months in a vegetative state. He was 30 seconds away from becoming a champion, his coach figures, when he lost by TKO. Hours after the fight, Whittom was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage from which he never recovered.