Belles of the Brawl: How the Charity Boxing Fight Night Began & The Strong 'Whys' for Fighters

Haymakers For Hope brings fighters together to build community, find purpose, and most importantly, knockout cancer. Co-founder Julie Kelly, a cancer survivor, wanted to raise money and fight cancer in a meaningful way and the endurance events (marathons & triathlons) just weren't doing it for her. Haymakers started in 2011 and has grown immensely since, including the launch of a women's fight night called 'Belles of the Brawl.' 2025 Belle Janella Casella stepped into the ring to honor her son's battle and victory with cancer. She walked away with a win, new passion for boxing & lifelong friendships. Today we dive in to:

• What inspired founders Julie Kelly and Andrew Meyerson to create the event in 2011 and how's it expanded to new cities and grown in scope
• How the fighters' whys drive the event
• The impact of the over $35 million raised for cancer-focused charities
• 2025 Belle Janelle Casella's reason for fighting and journey to the fight night
• How boxing is the perfect metaphor for life
• The strong lessons the sport and boxing community can teach
• How anyone can get involved in supporting fighters and/or signing up for 2026 events

To learn more: haymakersforhope.org

Follow along on social: @haymakers4hope

Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

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