Shayna Foppiano – Everett Leader Herald

The gloves are back on

Shayna Foppiano spars with Dennis Hickey as she gets back in the gym after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)

By LORENZO RECUPERO

With Covid-19 restrictions easing and national sports readying to restart, athletes everywhere have been taking back their routines.

For undefeated professional boxer and Everett native, Shayna Foppiano, that means getting back to the basics.

“It’s really, really nice to be back and pushing harder,” said Foppiano, excited that gyms are finally back open.

In her first week back, she pounded-out four sessions with trainer Joe Lake, each including a four-mile run.

“The same day it opened I could not wait to get in [the gym]. It’s the thing I love, being in that environment,” said Foppiano, who used some of that time to get into her first official sparring session since lockdowns with Revere Police Officer Dennis Hickey (above).

The quarantined athlete

20200131_shayna_JP_27 — Shayna Foppiano (above) during a night of professional boxing promoted by Boston Boxing. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)

By Lorenzo Recupero

Athletes all over the country and beyond and right here in Everett have all had their sports careers come to an abrupt stop as a result of Covid-19 emergency actions. From the city’s high school and younger athletes, to the professionals such as local boxer Shayna Foppiano, lifestyles have changed and when they will return to normal is kind of an unknown.

In a cell phone conversation recently, Foppiano shared what she does know about staying active and possibly ‘reinventing’ yourself during the time of coronavirus and quarantines. From studying film to getting loved ones involved, here’s her take on it all.

What’s your mindset through all this? How are you able to tell yourself as an athlete to keep working your hardest even though you won’t be able to compete?

I personally don’t feel like it’s difficult to keep active every day during all of this – In fact, I think of this time as an advantage. Of course, it’s hard not being able to go to the gym and use the bags and train with my team and coach, but on the upside now I have all of this free time out of work to train. I’ve been studying a lot of boxing film while I’m inside and making sure I work out in some way for 2-3 hours a day. I crave the structure and my body feels awful when I’m not working out regularly.

Has social distancing effected your workouts with not having your trainer and usual equipment? If so, how have you supplemented that loss?

Not having my team and coach has definitely altered my workouts but I’m making sure they still are boxing focused. My husband has been holding the pads for me a few times a week so that’s been helpful. I also started running more every day, which is great because my coach told me that I needed to “fall in love with running”- what better time than now.

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Battle ready

20200115_shayna_JP_05 — Everett’s Shayna Foppiano shadow boxes while training for her next fight. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)

Undefeated Everett boxer Shayna Foppiano is set to enter the ring for the fourth fight of her career, and if you asked her how she feels going into the bout, she’d tell you her third win is on the horizon.

“After the win, the plan is to get maybe one more fight under me and then following that go after the New England title,” said a confident Foppiano (2-0-1, 1 KO), who is finding true value in her work ethic and preparedness. “[The plan] is to beat all the good local girls and expand to fighting around the country,” said Foppiano.

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Foppiano wins battle of Everett Boxers

Screen Shot 2019-11-27 at 6.34.25 PM.png — Lightweight Shayna Fappiano (white trunks) returned strong in her first fight in more than a year with a unanimous decision win over Raquel Santos (0-1). (Photo by Joseph Prezioso)

By Lorenzo Recupero

Everett native Shayna Foppiano’s pro boxing debut was a knockout – literally.

In her third career bout, the powerful 27-year old Foppiano put her undefeated record (2-0-1, 1 KO) to the test against fellow Everett boxer Raquel Santos at the Twin River Casino and Hotel in Rhode Island, part of the Classic Entertainment & Sports Boxing showcase there this past weekend.

Foppiano didn’t score a knockout this time around but pulled off a majority decision victory, outlasting Santos in the their four round lightweight matchup.

The faceoff was Santos’ pro debut and Foppiano’s first against someone from her hometown, much to her delight and surprise.

“I found out who I was fighting on ESPN.com before the fight and thought to myself ‘Wow that’s really cool’,” said Foppiano, who didn’t know until two weeks prior that she’d be going up against another Everett native.

The victory, admittedly not an easy one, though, wasn’t as unexpected for Foppiano.

“I came forward a more aggressive fighter this time around,” said Foppiano, who followed up a draw in her previous fight with the win over Santos.

She said she realized the fight was hers to win after withstanding a hard hit from Santos in the third round.

Continue reading Foppiano wins battle of Everett Boxers