Thread: Please help.

Firstly, apologies if I have posted this in the wrong forum, this is my first post, so I hope this doesn't annoy anyone who uses the board by asking a few questions.

I've been asked by my university (Manchester) magazine to begin to research the subject of boxing around the city, unfortunately the clubs I've spoken to have not wanted to take part in my research or interviews. I'm not completely sure why, but they didn't want me to interview anyone there. Basically, there's been quite a lot of interest around the university about the sport since the last Ricky Hatton fight. We want to provide some information about the sport, how to get in to it, what excites people about, if anyone can join and what being part of the clubs means to the members. Hopefully it shouldn't take more than five minutes to reply to.

Any help would be greatly received, and any advice on where or how I should get more imformation would be excellent.

1)How and why did you become involved in the sport?

2)What does boxing mean to you?

3)In a normal week how many times do you train?

4)Can anybody take part?

5)What makes a good boxer?

6)Describe your first match -

7)Did you win or lose?

What do you love about fight night?

9)What do you consider the best fight you've been part of or seen?

10)Who's the toughest person you've ever seen in the ring?

11)How has the sport changed since you first became interested in it?

Sorry again if I've wasted anyones time who uses this board.

Nope, not wasted anybody's time...

I'm off the work now but when I get back I'll do this for you.

1)How and why did you become involved in the sport?

wanted to learn how to defend myself anyway, but got jumped one day n decided it was time to learn

2)What does boxing mean to you?

it means alot, blood sweat and tears..but its the discipline of it. it gives u great pride and dignity

3)In a normal week how many times do you train?

erm..down the gym 3 times a week..go runnin day i dont go to the gym

4)Can anybody take part?

yep..definately

5)What makes a good boxer?

what a question lol. skill and discipline is a need, but it can be argued heart is the most important. also it helps if ur fit lol

6)Describe your first match -

unfortunately i havnt had a fight yet, my trainer wants to put me in with the right oponent as he sed the first fite is 1 of the most important..just hasnt found me that rite opponent yet

7)Did you win or lose?

n/a

What do you love about fight night?

i can imagine its the adrenaline and wanting to win

9)What do you consider the best fight you've been part of or seen?

hmm..i guess its jose luis castillo vs diego corrales 1..that fite had everything

10)Who's the toughest person you've ever seen in the ring?

rocky lol..nah its probly arturo gatti

11)How has the sport changed since you first became interested in it?

erm..it hasnt changed much to be honest

I'm happy to reply - slow day at uni :-)

1) was a gym close to uni - was a convenient location, wanted fitness + self defence then became obsessed as it challenged me and still does.

2) I agree with CaNcer - my best fight was the most challenging when I was pushed the most and still did myself and my coach proud. I have had fights won easily against less experienced opponents who connected with one light punch in a whole fight and won titles which mean much less/nothing to me. Nothing worth anything comes easily. It has forced me to become stronger in ways which are not only physical. I have met a lot of like minded people which makes the personal sacrifice of not having time to socialize in pubs etc as much worthwhile.

3) Normal meaning not injured - note I get told off for overtraining but need the endorphins:
Cardio - 11 sessions a week - running, running, running and a little swimming
Boxing - 5 or 6 nights a week
Weights - I'm slack and inconsistant - maybe 2 times but mostly just a little in with boxing training.

I can dress casually and have showers at work so can use lunch hour and mornings for cardio.

4) Yep - the degree to which they can take part varies though depending on experience - you shouldn't be allowed to walk into a gym and hop in the ring and start sparring on your first night and if you're smart you'll develop your skills a while before you fight and know from recreational training how much you want to put into it.

5) There are so many types of boxers. I think the most important part is to enjoy what you do. Then you can put the hard work, time and effort in without it getting you down. Some people could be great but don't love it enough, many are out of shape and unco-ordinated but become great over time. Nothing develops overnight.

6) I had some kickboxing experience and thought I was pretty good so with only 3 months boxing I took a fight for a novice state title. I took a fight against a girl 10 kg heavier than me thinking she was just a bit stocky and I'd be fitter so it would be easy. I'd heard she was tough enough to bash with a baseball bat without responding but she looked more nervous than me so i thought it was all BS just to scare me. When I got in there none of the punches I threw could even make her blink. I think I only made her blink once which freaked me out because I usually get more of a reaction from that just in sparring. I felt like she was a train hitting me and I had no hope of holding my ground. My mum was watching and bawling her eyes out as I could throw little jabs and run backwards but kept getting caught on the ropes and getting bashed. I didn't understand the rules because 8 counts in my local kickboxing cicuit were pretty much only given for knock downs. I thought I was doing something illegal when i was getting eight counts. They stopped the fight in the second round when I was caught on the ropes because the old decrepid referee was blocking my exit to the left and she was pounding me from the right. I had two black eyes and a blood nose. My opponent took the national title in her next bout. I was not too dissappointed because I lost to a good opponent but it opened my eyes to how much i didn't learn in kickboxing.

7) LOST!!!

8. I am a bundle of nerves leading up to it but love being there to support my team mates afterwards and feel I like the week or two after fight night when I have a new perspective on what I need to work on and a clearer direction for my training. In a fight that is going well I love the adrenalin after the first round when I'm no longer aware of the croud but am 'in the groove' and able to just pound away with not power limits which I don't do in sparring.

9) I'm a poor spectator so won't quote a famous fight. It'd be one of my team mate's wins with a knockout - he's a light heavyweight national champ. In this fight he was still only state champ fighting another state champ. He was told to box easy and technically the first round and was knocked down. The second rpund he was told to go for it and knocked out his opponent with a flurry of hooks that have power I've never seen before. It was beautiful not because it was a knockout but just because it was an example of perfection.

10) Afore mentioned team mate :-) Same guy won national title with a broken hand.

11) More females but also is very gradually changing from old school with myths like don't drink water while you train to being more up with sport science. Gradually improving. :-)

This has to be a quick reply as I've got a lession to attend but thanks everyone for your help and time. It's been interesting and enjoyable to read through your answers. I've got a few more weeks to do this project, so if anyone else wants to add to the answers it would be be a massive help!

Sharla - loved the story about your first fight? How have the matches been going since, do you have any more interesting stories?

Scrap - Thanks for your PM and advice, I haven't spoken to him yet, but I'll make sure I do once I get home. I'll let you know if he wants to help out.

1) As an 80s child I watched a lot of sugar ray leaonard. Since then, I've always cherished my sport. I always trained on my own until 2 years ago, when I joined a gym.

2) Boxing has always been my obsession. I love the rich history of boxing. Watching and doing boxing makes me happy. A lot of my world revolves around boxing.

3) I train at my gym 4 times a week. I run 4 times a week. I lift weights here and there, but it's not a focused regimen.

4) YES

5) The love for boxing makes a good boxer... all other attributes come after.

6) No match yet. Done lots of sparring in the last year and a half. I'll have my first smoker in June. Hopefully I have a good result.

7) n/a

No fight night for me yet.

9) Leonard/Hearns 1

10) Aaron Pryor

11) I'm 5 foot 6 inches. When I first joined the gym I was 175 pounds. Now I'm 145 to 150 pounds.
I've learned so much about training excercises, eating habits, and many other aspects of boxing. As a kid growing up and watching fights, you think you know the sport. When you actually put the gloves and train you discover that you really don't know s**t and that you could never stop learning in boxing. My interest grows as I continue to learn through training. My perspective for watching fights on TV has changed because in the gym you see what takes to become a fighter and you have a better perspective on what is taking place in the ring. Training in the gym amplifies your respect for Pro fighters and Golden Glovers. Like I said before boxing makes me happy and I believe my interest in boxing will continue to grow.

1)How and why did you become involved in the sport?

I was 11 years old and had a choice between spending 5 nights a week at a local gym in Chicago, or going to reform school. It was an easy choice.

2)What does boxing mean to you?

Fit, disciplined, brave athletes, showing grace under pressure in the ultimate win/lose sport.

3)In a normal week how many times do you train?

I retired from amateur boxing some time ago. Now I am just an occasional gym user and I have not returned to a boxing gym for 5 years.

4)Can anybody take part?

I would imagine that disabled people might find it difficult? Not sure of there are special gyms or conteats like in the paralympics or anything. Boxing is the only sport where dirt poor kids can find a route out of the ghetto without any money (even in football, you need boots)

5)What makes a good boxer?

Strength of mind

6)Describe your first match -

Eyes closed, fists flailing wildly, kamikaze attack, very tired quickly, smell of leather .... I felt like Henry Armstrong

7)Did you win or lose?

Won on points

What do you love about fight night?

I hated fight night before the fight, I used to puke up and need the toilet every few minutes. Once I got out of the dressing room I was fine, and I loved larging it after I had won.

9)What do you consider the best fight you've been part of or seen?

Ali/Frazier III

10)Who's the toughest person you've ever seen in the ring?

Define 'tough' All fighters are brave. Rocky Marciano was pretty tough, so was Roberto Duran

11)How has the sport changed since you first became interested in it?

Alphabet bodies are ruining it, profileration of so called 'world' champions, too many people fed easy matches to protect an unbeaten record and thus not learning their trade properly, many good athletes are going to other sports and boxing is not a mainstream sport anymore.
Sorry again if I've wasted anyones time who uses this board.

[/quote]

Your welcome MMU

I'm sure there are others in this forum with some better stories than me who might reply when they get the chance.

Fighting for me since then has improved gradually. I still have a lot to work on but I now know how to get out of the way and move in multiple directions instead of just straight back. I have had a few exhibition bouts against the same girl since and now although she still tries to take my head off and catches me with a few good ones I tend to out box her. She hasn't fought for a while perhaps because she wasn't challenged enough when she fought and has lost motivation.

I am no longer with my original trainer and in hindsight i am one of a few people he trained who had very poorly prepared first fights and i feel that the more safety conscious trainers I have now are a big step up.

One of my old team mates had his first fight on the same night as me. He went in hard but as a club we were not strong on defence. He got his nose broken and was bleeding all over the ring. They didn't stop the fight because he was still fighting strong and he had an old school referee. He fought the entire last round even stronger with a broken nose. He lost by about 2 points but then I remember seeing him shaking and turning blue with shock in the change rooms afterwards. He did fight again but i don't think he's in the sport anymore. It's sad how a brave guy like him can put so much into his training and loose out for the lack of a bit of direction.

I don't regret having a few hard fights though. I had a big head and needed a few losses to keep me modest. I think it's an unhappy boxer who has so much success intially that they can't handle it when they eventually do get beaten - often because they have a false sense of security and don't realize they still need to do the best they can.

My favorite fight of all time (that I fought) was against a Japanese girl my weight in Japan. It came at a time after I'd lost a few in Australia and I really needed to win for my own self esteem. I was so nervous leading up to the fight that I hiccuped continuously for two days before the fight. I fought in Tokyo but was living in Osaka so I had to take the bullet train to get there the day before for the weigh in.

Unfortunately the train was slow and stopped for a while because of a typhoon. I was hungry also because I had to make weight for the fight. When we got to Tokyo we had to walk through the typhoon weather - pouring rain and got a bit lost to find the weigh in gym. I was REALLY, REALLY happy to eat after that but still hiccuping. I shared a twin room with my Japanese coach only to find he was the worlds worst snorer! I woke him up several times to tell him to quit it but he kept falling asleep before me and snoring again so I didn't get any sleep. The next morning I was still hiccuping.

My opponent was a bit taller and thinner but somehow still had good power. This fight was without headguards and using old 8 ounce gloves which might have had something to do with it.

She was fast and had a sneaky uppercut which nearly knocked me out. We were both flat out the entire fight and it would easily be the fastest fight I've ever fought. I had to train in a Japanese gym for almost a year before i was allowed to fight there despite have previously fought in Australia. I'm glad I had that preparation because for her I needed it.

There was a small, relatively reserved Japanese audience. Despite the language barrier I could tell they all thought I was a bit of a joke before the fight. All the other fighters had to pass a sparring test to be allowed to fight but they let me straight in because having a foreigner compete was a novelty for them. All the fighters were looking at me like "who is this fatty!?!?". I'd be considered petite in Australia and am definitely the gym midget but compared to that crowd I was stocky.

It's not too exciting to describe. I used the right hand a lot because she hit me every time I threw my left. She caught be with a beautiful uppercut in the last round which caused me to loose control of my legs for a second but I was moving towards her at the time and I just managed to catch myself before I fell over and countered with a right cross. I won just by a tiny amount based on fitness. I hugged her afterwards because i had so much respect for how hard she'd made me work. In my very flawed Japanese i tried to tell her she was good but I don't think she wanted to accept the compliment. I might have also freaked her out a bit by hugging her every time we spoke because that's not really a Japanese thing.

After that fight the Japanese fighters congratulated me and I felt the "she's just qualified for this because she's a gaijin" stigma had dissappeared. My hiccups also dissapeared. The show promoter came and congratulated me and said they wanted me to be in all their shows after that. I got to sleep on the train on the way home. I moved back to Australia a few months later and never fought there again but It's a very good memory for me to have.

1)How and why did you become involved in the sport?
My grandpa loved to fight in the golden gloves, and was going to teach me when I got older, but died when I was in third grade in a car accident. Decided to pick it up now at the age of 18, and hoping to fight in the golden gloves in the next few years after some training.

2)What does boxing mean to you?
It means a hell of alot since it was something my grandpa did.

3)In a normal week how many times do you train?
Three gym days, run everyday except sunday.

4)Can anybody take part?
Of course, you can be fat or scrawny and still fight.

5)What makes a good boxer?
Heart is a lot, and so is dedication. The two coincide.

6)Describe your first match -
Was supposed to have a small exhibition fight in November but it got cancelled, haven't done any amateur fights yet.

7)Did you win or lose?
--

What do you love about fight night?
I suppose the pride of fighting in front of people

9)What do you consider the best fight you've been part of or seen?
The first Ali vs. Frazier

10)Who's the toughest person you've ever seen in the ring?
Smokin' Joe Frazier, no doubt.

11)How has the sport changed since you first became interested in it?
Hasn't changed much for me, I'm still new to it.