Post Ring Career, Derric Rossy Killing It

I find myself arriving early, earlier than most of the crew for the event, perhaps out of nervousness, or so I can settle in and get comfortable with my surroundings.

There’s a small corner of the dressing room/locker room. I put my equipment/wardrobe down to stake my claim of a corner area that I’ll be using to prepare.

This is important, because you know you are not the main event and others will be crammed into the area to prepare as well.

As I lay my stuff out and go through my rituals to calm my nerves, two very familiar voices come into my head.

Those voices belong to two of the most well respected trainers/cut men in the business, that of Al Gavin and Robert Jackson.

Rossy, from Medford, NY, fought from 2004-2017 after playing football at Boston College

Al and Bob were great friends, partners in boxing, and probably the most honorable people you would ever have the pleasure of meeting.

These two trainers had very different approaches to the fight game but had one saying in common: “No one is forcing you to be here. You can turn around and leave. But something is calling you to be here, so let's go find out what that calling is for.”

All my preparation is done and I am confident that I am in the best frame of mind to perform.

A person comes back to the locker/dressing room and says, “You're up.”

As I step out into the arena, I see the opponent, always the same… me.

My network debut is to come, on Oxygen True Crime, playing a serial killer, Christopher Gonzalez.

Not being fearful of going outside comfort zone is a key to good living, it can be argued

This is a very different arena but all the parts leading up to, as well in the performance itself, are all too familiar.

In boxing, as well as in acting, you need to conquer yourself. I’m still just a fledgling, an amateur in the acting game and I’m sure I am going to take my lumps and fair share of disappointments.

The boxing game prepared me for much more than getting over bumps, cuts, and pain itself. It showed me that those nerves are really just excitement of something new about to unfold.

We need to meet these unknowns with enthusiasm.

As my late great trainers would say, “Lets see why you are called here.”

All this came about through the course of the pandemic, like most there was pondering what the next course or path of their life would be, and I found myself seeing many posts online about UGC “user generated content” for advertisement.

I opted in, not knowing much about it but I said to myself that I didn't know much about my boxing ability and that turned out ok.

Rossy fought for Real Deal Promotions

Getting a couple of gigs doing some sports advertisements, even some weight loss products, wouldn’t hurt and bringing in money in the process.

In turn, I was building a bit of a resume that I was able to put out into the world through different websites and I began getting commercial spots.

Started out small – first, with bald trimmer spots. (I lost my hair during the pandemic).

And teeth whitener posters in the subway that no one ever notices.

Small gig after small gig, I eventually landed small movie roles that got me IMDB credits which eventually led me to this current role I am in now – literally killing it.