I started boxing at 30 - having been in fights a couple of times when out on the town, I thought I'd do something about it.

When I first got into the ring it really shook me up, and it still does when sparring with someone I don't know - but everybody else is right on.
The more you do it the less afraid you become. You realise what you can and cannot do well, and if you listen hard to your body and remain objective, you will improve and fear will come under control. You learn to take a punch and you learn to quit when you could get seriously hurt (no shame in that!)
I remember the first time I fought against a guy i didn't know (other than my current two training partners) and he was a lot younger than me, a professional cage fighter. Well, after about a minute I realised i could tear him apart at will (obviously he'd kill me in a cage fight) and my fear vanished and he said he learned a lot from the spar. He learned to cover up better and i learned to cover a left rip, as he hit me a couple of times with it!

So take it slow, find an intelligent partner who will help you learn to box - an idiot who just goes in to smack you down is no good to you. And as you get better you'll learn to love these ill-disciplined thugs - as they're so easy to hit!

You need to get in and tough it out - build you confidence and stay fit. Don't try and do too much as you'll wind up old and injured, like a lot of guys at my age who realised they went too hard out when they were young.

Luck

Joe90