IBO Super Middleweight Champion Boxer "Dangerous" Dana Rosenblatt spoke to an audience of about 40 students Sunday at the HUB-Robeson Center's Heritage Hall.

Rosenblatt stressed the power of self-determination in his speech.

"There is nothing you can't overcome if you set your mind to it and if you believe in yourself," Rosenblatt said.

After talking to the students for 45 minutes, Rosenblatt showed 16 students how to throw a number of punches. Finally, he sparred lightly with three students, while explaining some boxing techniques.

Part of Rosenblatt's speech addressed the fact that he is a Jewish boxer and the pride Rosenblatt's status has evoked in Jews throughout the world. Whenever Rosenblatt fights he wears a small Jewish star on his boxing trunks to carry some of his heritage into the ring.

"Be prideful of who you are and inspire other people," Rosenblatt said.

Evan Perel, a member of Penn State Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, who organized the event, provided a number of reasons for asking Rosenblatt to speak at Penn State.

"He's an inspirational speaker, Perel said. "He's faced anti-Semitism. Despite being small (Rosenblatt is 5'10" tall), he's overcome his weaknesses."

Nathan Labuda (junior-administration of justice), a member of the Penn State boxing team, was one of the students to attended Rosenblatt's speech.

"From my point of view, as a boxer, I got a lot out of (the speech)," he said.

Labuda, who is not Jewish, said he would like to emulate the pride Rosenblatt has in Judaism in his own respective heritage.

"That's the best thing (about Rosenblatt's speech). That's good," Labuda said.

Rosenblatt talked of his 14 month-long recovery from a broken left hand in 1997 and 1998 to illustrate the power of setting goals and believing in oneself.

"I (had to) set short-term goals for myself, believe in myself," Rosenblatt said of his time recovering.

Rosenblatt refused to accept the end of his career when his doctor hinted that he might never fight again. In this context, Rosenblatt spoke of "refusing to take no for an answer" when following one's life goals.

Rosenblatt's injury occurred when he shattered a bone in his hand in the early rounds of a ten-round fight against Glenwood Brown on January 5, 1997. He knew immediately after the jab he threw to Brown's head that he had broken his hand.

Rosenblatt debated telling his trainer about his hand between rounds only because he thought he had to win the fight against Brown after losing to Vinny Pazienza on August 23, 1996. Despite the injury Rosenblatt won the fight against Brown in a 10-round decision.

After he returned from his rehab with a fight in 1998, he fought Terry Norris on September 25th 1998 and Pazienza again on November 5, 1999. Rosenblatt defeated Norris to win the IBA Middleweight Championship while he avenged his loss to Pazienza to win the IBO Super Middleweight title.

Rosenblatt stressed to his audience that life is about "overcoming hurdles". He has repeatedly cleared hurdles on his way to becoming a champion.