Thread: Is 33 too old for amateur comeback?

I'm 33. Haven't fought since 17. Then I finished 3-1, my only loss was split decision in Golden Gloves prelims and my opponent went on to win championship with RSC1. So, obviously it has been gnawing at me all this time. Now, 16 years later I still want one more shot. I'm strong still, can get my wind up again in time for Golden Gloves. I'm a lawyer now though. Am I nuts to try again? Or has it been done before? I need some inspiration bad.

Nope - we're all getting older too and wish we were at a certain point years ago - Sounds like you have all the determination you need - Just stay committed - impress yourself first before you do others - do something Bush could'nt do - 'Shock and Awe' - you'll be fine

It'll be a bit tougher, but if you've the will-power, it can still be done.

Thanks for advice and encouragement, brothers! Thanks for advice killa.

hmmmm, just wondering, why did you quit? If you lost on SD against the GG winner you must have liked the sport quite a bit and pretty dedicated. I just cant see myself going off on a sport like that all of a sudden.

Originally Posted by marvrealdeal

hmmmm, just wondering, why did you quit? If you lost on SD against the GG winner you must have liked the sport quite a bit and pretty dedicated. I just cant see myself going off on a sport like that all of a sudden.

I didn't just quit. After the SD in the GGs I fought again in an amateur show. It was at a lounge of the local NFL team's coach's restaurant. I was 17 and fought a 21 year old open fighter. I won that fight but couldn't remember the second half of the fight. I literally couldn't remember winning. I saw another fighter who was there months later and he told me the fight was like Rocky and the crowd was going nuts. So, it's not like I didn't get any satisfaction from fighting. But at my park (I trained in the city park district) the only sparring partners were 24 and 28 years of age. The 24 year old fought in the GG championship and lost and took a break from training after March 23, the 28 year old only trained but didn't compete anymore (after 40 or so amateur bouts) and he quit coming around for the summer. (They both had jobs and families to worry about also.) The summer after the GGs I had just graduated from HS and, since I was primarily a brawler (I wasn't trained very much in the important art of defense), I had to have surgery on my nose to remove blockage from swollen cartilage. Then I left Chicago for the East coast to attend college. I tried to find a local club out there but the local PAL had stopped its boxing program. The only gym I knew of was Frazier's on Broad Street in Philly. 19 years old and I'm not trekking into there all the time when I have college studies to worry about. I graduated with a 3.4/4.0 and went to law school. (I said up top I'm now a lawyer.) It's not easy going to law school at all, let alone with extracurriculars.
I appreciate the question. The answer is just that I was away from my old gym, moving onto other things, but believe me I kicked the crap out of a lot of loud mouth punks in college and after. I had a reputation as someone not to mess with. So, I still had little glories here and there. But it's always been in the back of my mind how I could have won GGs after only 3 months of training and 2 prior fights.
Now, at 33, I feel if I don't do it now I never will. I am just afraid it is already too late. I'm afraid people will think I'm nuts with something to prove -- for example going into work or even court with black eyes.
I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement from like-minded individuals.

I say go for it, u obviously have the commitment and it will bug u for the rest of ur life if you dont go through with this.

go for it, make sure you train hard and go out swinging, as long as you are in good condition you will be ok, good luck

33 isn't all that old. You still have a chance. Go for it.

Do it. But when you reregister, tell them you're 31 or 32 to give yourself more time to do it.

This is my situation. I'm starting boxing for the first time ever. But I'm 34 with a birthday coming up soon, and I REFUSE to be put in the Master class. It'd be almost impossible to get a fight around here, and several different boxing gyms have told me that.

So I've decided to lie and claim I'm a couple years younger. Hopefully it'll slide through the registration process. I look younger than I am, so it should work.

The one gym I went to so far told me all about how to get registered with USA Boxing. They say I need a photo and a physical exam and $35.00 . I even pushed them for details like "Is that ALL there is to the registration process?", and they never mentioned age as a factor or having to provide any proof of age.