From last century

Ancient picture taken at Honest Forms Gym demonstrating how not to box. It was hard to work the bag as it hung in a closet door, thereby eliminating most possibilities for lateral movement . circa 1997

Death of boxer

Kevin Payne wins welterweight bout, receives brain injury in the process, dies in hospital.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2376842

How was getting hit in the head?

My correspondent Robert asked me, on the comments to my previous entry, how was getting hit in the head?


Well Robert, I have to say that (thankfully?) reading your book has made me highly concerned about doing this very often.

The guy that I decided to spar with intitially is a 28 year year-old guy named Shane who weighs about 150lbs (to my 165lbs). I have the better reach. He has good skills but not alot of experience sparring, more than me however. Unlike me he would like to take a couple of fights ('for the experience' he says as he is older than all these young dudes at the gym too). Anyways, to make this paragraph short: I feel that I can trust this guy. He is friendly and seems to be in control and seems to be at the gym for similar reasons to me (though I am just guessing on this point as we haven't got into much discussion). He also agreed to make an effort to not break my (fairly Roman) nose.

Any anxiety which I had was less about getting my ass handed to me and more about permanent damage. I rseem to remember that he got the first good shot or two in but I was able to stay calm and avoid flailing away and I think that I gave as good as I got. Trainer Seth wanted us to use jabs and I often veered from this and threw hooks as I seem to be in love with fighting on the inside right now and dream of becoming a magnificent defensive-boxer and counter-puncher. Of course this is all much simpler when beating the bag or the man-dummy, and even easier when shadow-boxing. Those first shots to my head woke me up and I loosened up, trew some, I seem to remember pulling off some good slips in between getting nailed some more. Took a nice solid punch high on the nose, smoked Shane harder than I intended, I think it was on the forehead, and apologized for it. Remember getting in a nice hook and, just as the round was coming to an end, I got hit solidly at the end of my nose but no blood.

Had a round break as Shane went in with Seth (who must weigh at least 240). Then it was my turn with Seth and damn I was terrified by the big dude, experienced, skinhead, heavily tattooed (even though he is my coach and is obviously going to take care with me). Shit I didn't even get a solid punch on him as I was terrified to going into his range. He repeatedly got me into the corner against the ropes and hammered away and instead of keeping my height advantage and staying up straight-ish I bent over way too much thereby unable to see much and keep a handle on things. Pitiful round but I learned alot: about my mind. Afterwards Seth said that he was scared of me (!) because I am a southpaw (as he is) and he rarely goes in with a southpaw. I'll have to remember that I have some sort of natural advantage in that regard.

Oh yeah so K., my friend and ex-girlfriend works with Shane and he gave her a report on our sparring and said that I did well and gave him some pretty strong shots to the head (which I didn't intend to do by the way. I am really reluctant to hit nice people in the face. Go figure. I guess this will take a little time).

That night I felt thich-headed and my temple ached a bit. My neck was sore for a couple of days. I spent a lot of time thinking about a cost-benefit analysis of sparring and am not convinced that I want to pay the price on any kind of regular basis. Maybe occasionally, with the few people that I trust. Of course their is my ego which must be kept in place as I want to feel like I belong in the gym without succumbing to macho shit.

Anyway, neck is fine now and however much I want to go and immediately re-read Robert's book maybe I will hold off as I am already scared enough of brain injury, not to mention broken face. I still have to marry myself off or some variation of this. Ah what the hell, maybe I'll read his book again today anyways.

The terrible sacrifice of the boxer: in order to develop skill one must risk the firmity of their mind, their face, their sight. Tonight I sparred for the first time and I don't know how I feel about it.

a little flattered, a lot scared

Last night at boxing practice my trainer Seth seemed impressed with my hard work. Yeah, I try to work harder than all those teenagers for sure. A tiny little guy, age 12 and named Nico, came out to his fiorst class last night. Obviously quiet and shy, heightened by the big skinhead of a coach who asked him if he's going to be champ. After callisthenics I showed him how to put on his wraps. Smart little kid I think.

I've been staing late after class for extra training with the 4 young guys (14-16 years old I would guess) who are preparing for their first fights, along with assorted hangers-on who want to put out the extra. So last night Seth told me that I should start sparring soon, when my hand's better (I bruised my knuckle when I was shadowboxing at home and somehow smoked the edge on my bedroom door). The intial feeling of pride has turned into something a little more akin to anxiety but what the f*ck, what I am going to learn about fighting without learning slips and sparring? How to big a bag is what. Now I have a new threshold to pass, for the most part a mental one although certainly concerns about getting my pristine but not small nose busted or having my brain damaged are legitimate. I gotta drop a chunk of money on 16-oz gloves and headgear too but that is secondary. Hope the ladies will still love me if I'm ugly and stupid.