08/18/2026
It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share the devastating news that our beloved fighter, Mark Haydenāknown to us as āSparkplugāāpassed away Friday.
Sparky was truly one of a kind. He was a man of few words, but somehow, he said it all with his smile and those unforgettable winks. He was a true fighter. He never gave up, always fought back, and showed up consistently, giving everything he had, whatever that looked like on any given day.
He was feisty but charming, and thankfully, he never lost his sense of humor. He kept us laughing, reminded us not to take life too seriously, and taught us to make the most of every moment.
At Rock Steady Boxing, we believe that no one should fight aloneāwe fight together. This has been an incredibly difficult couple of weeks for our community. We have lost two incredible fighters, and the weight of that loss is being felt deeply by all of us.
Sparky will be missed more than words can express. His smile, his winks, his humor, his determination, and his fighting spirit will stay with us.
We are all in this together. Please donāt hesitate to reach out to me or Coach Patti as we navigate, once again, a new normal without someone we love.
Rest easy, Sparky. You fought the good fight. ā¤ļøš„
Coach Kaylee
āThe Guardianā