Joe Byrd's Boxing Academy

[Chris Nagel]

Update:



Yesterday, it was just me warming up alone with the Byrd brothers Ron and Joe Jr. watching. Sadly, the gym's been nearly empty these days. The good news is that I renewed my boxing license online, and in accordance to USA Boxing law, I'm now allowed to step in the ring! So now I'm able to spar, the bad news is that there are no sparring partners. Well, there is Brandon- however Mr. Byrd expressed that he didn't want a heavyweight sparring with a middleweight (myself) especially since we are both amateurs. Safety concerns aside, he believes that sparring a heavyweight will give me bad habits.

Brandon comes in late, after I've almost finished the warm-up and he notices that Mr. Byrd isn't there. Although Mr. Byrd wouldn't like us spar, we know that Joe Jr. won't object. Brandon is itching spar since he hasn't sparred since June. So when the cat's away, the mice glove up and spar!



Brandon's fresher than me, but I'm warmed up. The first round we were just supposed to jab. I felt intimidated, jumping in to jab most of the time. My hopping jab became easy to spot, so Joe begins timing me with his hook. I see this so I move my hand from chin toward my cheek, but I'm still eating punches coming in.

From the second round on things get shittier for me. I get tired, begin jabbing less and Brandon is getting confident. Brandon is throwing right hands, which surprises me since I thought we agreed on jabs only. Ronnie standing ringside tells me to stay on him, and to keep throwing. Staying close to Brandon doesn't work at all for me. I'm not aware of his punches when I'm next to him, and I close my eyes under the barrage of punches. Brandon says, "I know you're faster than that", but it's hard to keep up when you're tired.

I guess that two rounds proved to be enough, but I agree to go one more. Brandon takes it easier on me, and I do what I can. Afterward, we go a couple rounds on the bags, our floor-work and then call it day. As we head to our cars Brandon says, "Let's spar anytime". I reply, "Sure, anytime."