For the past seven years, Alphonzo Daniels has been working toward opposite goals in pursuing his two chosen professions.
"My friends kid me that I'm a split personality, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," he said.
During the day, Daniels works as an emergency room technician in an Oxon Hill hospital, assisting plastic surgeon James Benjamin in making his patients more attractive. At night, the 29-year-old fighter trains to sharpen his boxing skills in order to physically break down his opponents.
To date, the Riverdale native has been relatively successful at both his jobs. But Daniels (23-4), who battles Ali Fountain (4-14-5) in an eight-rounder at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie tonight, has set high goals for himself in the ring.
"I'm just beginning to come into my own and understand what boxing's all about," he said. "I'm trying to get into the world rankings. I'm going to put at least four more years into fighting and see where it takes me."
Daniels got a relatively late start in boxing.
He graduated from Frederick Douglass High in Upper Marlboro without a clear career course in mind. He joined the Army at 18 and was assigned to Wildflicken in Germany as a hospital technician.
"I walked into the base gym one day, watched the boxing team working out and got interested," he said.
The left-handed Daniels showed a natural aptitude for boxing, with the ability to hit his opponent and avoid a counterattack. In 1989 and 1990, he won the European military middleweight title. In 1991, he captured the All-Army middleweight championship and finished his amateur career 56-4.
But a staggering streak of misfortune to his family made him re-assess his priorities after his service discharge.
"So many things had changed in my life," he said. "First, my brother died of a heart attack when he was only 23. Then I lost my mother, grandmother and my closest cousin, all within a few years. I still carried a dream of becoming a professional fighter, but then boxing didn't seem all that important."
Eventually, the dream was rekindled. After scouring the Washington area, he found a gym in Crofton, close to his home, and a willing helper in Jeff Novotny.
In time, he also was tutored by Adrian Davis, who has trained a number of outstanding left-handed fighters.
After losses to Earl Allen and Aaron Davis, Daniels has gotten back on track with five straight victories, including a 10-round sweep against Bernice Barber.
And the way Daniels envisions his ring future, life can be beautiful in and out of the operating room.
Pub Date: 3/25/99