Boxing clever is the key
Lessons learnt in the ring can help deal with life’s blind spots, developing the skills to ride bump and move forward
THE date is set for the big bout – March 12 will see this would-be boxer go round.
With sparring going up a notch, it’s becoming easier to see shortfalls and where improvements are needed. It’s pretty apparent when something goes awry, because you get punched in the face.
So with three weeks to go, I went to Gavin Topp, founder of Fight Like a Pro, and spoke to him about the training so far and where he thinks I’m at before the bout.
“Every bloke’s challenge is different, what challenged you on Wednesday, was a different challenge on Monday, that’s what I see all the time. The challenges keep on changing, just when you think you’ve got a handle on something,” he said.
“I think it’s important from a coach’s point of view to keep ruffling your feathers so that your best comes out.
“We’ve all got blind spots, so I think that’s kind of what sparring is meant to be, to point out those blind spots, so you go in prepared,” Topp said.
“I try and point out that life is like that, we’ve all got blind spots, so when you get hit by the right hand you don’t see, well in life they hurt. And I suppose that’s when the undeveloped man says things like ‘it’s unfair’.
“I’ve had blokes get out of the ring, pull their gloves off and try to find an excuse, spit the dummy. Other blokes, are like, all right, I’ve just learnt something there. And that’s the value of having someone on the other side of the ropes who is for you, who wants the best for you – a lot of blokes don’t have that in their life.”
Over-thinking is my biggest issue, instead of just doing. Ducking a punch, then instead of throwing my own, that one or two seconds of thought, loses the opportunity. So my big work-on, and Topp agrees, throw them and see what comes about.
He said it was about staying fit and healthy this close to the big dance.
“The more you can stay injury free, or manage your injuries, the better you go and the more sessions you can have.
“So when we back it off in a week or two, you can’t do those sessions, you can’t go back and do all those extra fitness sessions.”
And he’s right, tomorrow is not the day to put in the hard yards, today is. While I’ve come a long way in the past four and a bit weeks, there’s still more that can be done. There always is.
So you’ll catch me at the gym this weekend, throwing punches at the bag, running, rowing, riding the bike and lifting some weights.
No excuses come March 12, if I know I’ve done all I can to be in the best shape I possibly can be for a fight.
IT’S PRETTY APPARENT WHEN SOMETHING GOES AWRY, BECAUSE YOU GET PUNCHED IN THE FACE.