Female Champ’s Message to Boxing Manager
Former boxing champ Lucia Rijker has been hit hard by the news of her friend Sam Simon’s brave battle against Stage 4 cancer that has reportedly spread to various parts of his body. He has announced that he has just a few months to live and the boxing manager and “The Simpsons” producer says he will donate millions to several charities.
I recently wrote an interview with heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster, who was managed by Sam for many years. The two trained at the world famous Wild Card Boxing Gym, where Lucia also first met Simon. When the pro fighter, kickboxer and actress first read the news in the Brewster article she responded by telling me, “Oh my god, No! First Emanuel and now Sam.”
Rijker was talking about beloved boxing coach Emanuel Steward, who sadly lost his fight against colon cancer and diverticulitis back in October. Right before his passing, Lucia was at the California Boxing Hall of Fame awards, in which she was inducted. I listened as an emotional Lucia gave a heartbreaking speech paying tribute to Steward. Now the boxer known as “The Dutch Destroyer” is once again gearing up for the worst, while hoping for the best. And now in this exclusive story, hear Lucia’s own personal thoughts on another of her friend’s latest fight against the deadly disease.
“Sam introduced me to Freddie in ’96! I used to go to ‘The Drew Carey’ show with him and hang at his fight parties,” the athlete hailing from the Netherlands told me. “I judged his smokers at Wild Card; he was one of my first friends when I came to America!”
Upon coming to the U.S., Lucia made quite a splash, training with Freddie Roach. The Dutch dynamo remains unbeaten with 17 victories and 14 knockouts. She is also still involved in boxing as a trainer and cornerman and recently was in the ring with new WBC champ Diana Prazak. Rijker will also be honored by the Golden State Boxer’s Association in November.
Lucia is as tough as any man–or woman–in the fight game. And yet for all her poise and strength in the ring, the news about Sam’s deadly plight leaves her shaken. After first learning the news, Rijker has tried to reach out to her friend from the past. They lost touch through the years but Lucia hopes to see him or at least talk to him one last time.
As we all know, none of us are immortal. No one knows when our time is up. And oftentimes, we are all guilty of losing touch with loved ones–and not having the chance to tell our family and friends how much they really mean to us. Often it is too late to open our hearts face to face.
Lucia knows this all too well and she is valiantly hoping this message will reach Sam Simon.
Rijker tells me she did try and call Sam and left a message with the person who answered his phone–and hopefully the message has reached him. “I told her to tell Sam that I love him and I wanted to thank him for being one of my first American friends when I moved to Los Angeles in ’94,” Lucia relays to me. “I haven’t spoken with Sam in several years. The last time I saw him I judged one of his smokers when Megga was still his trainer.”
The brunette boxers understands what a truly difficult time this is for his family and close friends. She does not want to impose but as her heart breaks for her long-lost friend, Lucia wishes she could see him in person.
“I don’t want to take any of his precious life force,” Rijker explains, “however if I could visit him, to give him a kiss and thank him for his great existence on the planet I would appreciate it.”
Loss of a loved one is painful. Reconnecting with Sam now would be bittersweet and heartbreaking but the spiritual Lucia Rijker longs for this opportunity. She didn’t get the chance with another boxing pal of hers and the pain of that still stings.
“My old dear friend Emanuel Steward passed away last year of the same challenge,” she shares. “They didn’t let me near him before he transitioned, which hurt me deeply, however I respect the time with family and loved ones in these precious moments.”
Sam Simon said earlier this year that he has three to six months to live. If you believe in miracles, maybe Sam will be given more time on this planet…
Believe in faith, believe in miracles.
Lucia Rijker hopes and believes her friend’s journey will be filled with love and kindness.
To read the Lamon Brewster interview:
Photos Courtesy of Team Rijker