Sweet Science of Boxing

Boxing, pugilism or prize fighting, whatever you want to call it…I love this sport, you can keep your martial arts, your MMA, your Kickboxing, your Cage Fighting and wrestling…when it comes to conditioning nothing beats the sweet science of Boxing IMHO. Put the best boxer against any other fighter and the boxer will be victorious in my honest opinion. I can always remember the first time a respected MMA practitioner came to our boxing club. Must have been near 20 years ago, Jack the boxing coach put him is the ring to spar with a seasoned boxer and Mr MMA soon was on his arse and this was with 18oz sparing gloves. I accept MMA would call the shots on ground work it the rumble hit the floor but they have no answer to combinations from all angles (punches in bunches) Watch a kick boxer, sure they look great with the knees and fancy roundhouses but their punching takes a lot to be desired and soon as a leg leaves the canvas they are vulnerable due to the lack of stability and no planted power. I can always remember a Kick Boxer working the doors as a bouncer. He did look the business, standing there was his white shirt and dickybow, stretching all the time, kicking high into empty space at a height higher than my head, he also put some “have a go” unruly punters down in convincing style but one evening he met a bit of a local hard nut who could punch and before he could lift his foot past knee height a right cross straight down the middle plopped him on his backside good style, his confidence crumbled after that and he never returned cause he was all “glamour” and no “guts” Don’t  misunderstand me, if you put a top of his game Royce Gracie in with an entry level  boxer when Gracie would win the shield but as far as like for like goes I will always place my money on a puncher over a kicker, brawler or wrestler.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone violence on any level but what I will say is if you want to get your son (or daughter) some self-defence then approach a boxing gym, not a boxercise class, a real spit and sawdust boxing gym if there are any left now. It’s not as glamorous as the other contact sports but it’s more effective. Not only do you learn how to throw your fists, where to hit and how to bob and weave but you also learn how to take a punch, move with it, compose yourself and counterpunch. Your fitness level increases as does your strength and confidence. The cost is minimum as you don’t need to pay out on fancy outfits. Of course some people don’t like a real boxing gym, the smell, the spitting and snorting in buckets, the blood and snort, the noises of pads and bags (and flesh) getting wacked with leather but nothing beats it, sitting on the ring apron awaiting your shot for some sparing, sweat dripping into your eyes and the mouth guards getting spat out, dusted down and “rammed” back in the gob again. The smell stays with you forever…god, I really do miss it so much..lol

There is no feeling on earth getting your hand raised by the ref in victory after a bout, you feel 10 feet tall and covered in hair, there is no worst feeling than losing, you just want to hide and you feel like a chunk of your manhood has been taken.  Win or lose, returning home, putting cream on the rope burns on your back (sliding against the ropes), the sore neck the next morning for the impact of the punches and all for a cheap trophy, maybe £80 or a little bit more in your pocket and a free meal…lol perhaps not the Mayweather pay deal or the Mirage in Vegas, more likely a working man’s club or a wine and dine at my humble level but it’s the pats on the back and offers of free drinks, little write up in the back pages of the local rag that makes you feel just like a champ!!!

I do miss it very much, I bought a pair of bag mitts, hand wraps, I am still pretty fit so thought I would give it a few rounds at the local gym just pounding the heavy bag but the speed and timing is no longer there, the left hook off the jab still hits the target to a satisfying whack and I can still make that “oosssh” noise when its thrown but I know it’s a young man’s game now and even a midlife crisis would never tempt me back for some sparing sessions. After by brief couple of rounds on the bag my wrists were sore, my knuckles skint even under the wraps and I was knackered…lol, I can do hard cardio for an hour but nothing compared to a few rounds pounding the leather.  If I could relive my life I would still have my time doing boxing, the wins, loses …all memories …now it’s just a little bit shadow boxing in my dressing gown before bed in front of the mirror….oppps, did I just admit to that