‘He Says He Has Abandonment Issues, But He Put That On Me,’ Says Boxer’s Daughter

Former boxing champion Brian “The Bull” Barbosa says he is living with traumatic brain injury, memory loss, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, all of which make it hard for him to focus and cause him to worry about his thought processes. Brian says he also struggles with deep feelings of abandonment stemming from when his mother left him as a child. His daughter, Dyani, claims that Brian was absent for most of her life, too. “When I was growing up, my dad was in and out of prison. He would send letters promising that we would be a family and he’ll be back, but when he got out, he just disappeared,” she says. “He says he has abandonment issues, but he put that on me.” Brian says, “I should have been there, but I didn’t care about her. I didn’t care about me. I didn’t care about anything.” Dyani says she wants a relationship with her dad but can’t continue to sit by and watch his life unravel. She says, “I love my father, but I can’t be around him if he continues to be this person that is hurtful to his family.” And later, what is the extent of Brian’s traumatic brain injury? Are there treatments that can help? Dr. Bradley Jabour, the CEO and Chief of Radiology at Medical Imaging Center of Southern California consults. This episode of Dr. Phil, “The Beauty and The Boxer,” airs Tuesday. Check your local listing for air times. WATCH: What A Former Boxing Champion Says Makes Him Want To Hurt Himself TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Hopelessly in need of Dr. Phil's Help?