October got off to a great start with the completion of another challenge. Officially, the task was to “train with a professional boxer”, but unfortunately my friend Imran Naeem, coach of the highly-rated unbeaten welterweight prospect Josh Leather decided to change “train” to “spar”!
Even before I discovered what Imran had in mind, I was already slightly apprehensive when I arrived at Natural Progression Boxing Academy in Stockton-on-Tees. Imran was putting a very impressive group of youngsters through their paces and, not for the first time during these challenges, I felt every single one of my fifty years.
Josh arrived, taped up his hands (I couldn’t possibly tell you what he used for padding) and started to warm up for his “proper” training session, whilst Imran laced up my gloves, before taking the pads and giving me my first ever boxing lesson. Despite being slow of movement, with the weakest right-hand jab in history, the old “Kirby left” managed to connect a couple of times; but after about five minutes Imran’s declaration that I was “ready” was the very definition of misplaced confidence!
There were two main reasons why the original task was simply based around training. Firstly, I would never have insulted a professional athlete (or the other youngsters at the gym for that matter) by suggesting that a total novice like me could - or should - climb into a boxing ring. Secondly (and probably more importantly if the truth be told) I wasn’t exactly thrilled at the prospect of getting hurt!
That said, there was no way I was going to back out: I was fitted with a headguard and clambered rather clumsily into the ring (which was smaller than I imagined, and didn’t seem to have an emergency exit).
Was I nervous? You bet I was. I was in a boxing ring with one of the best young fighters of his weight in the country ... about to attempt to spar for three one-minute rounds. And much as I realised Josh wasn’t going unleash his hardest shots, he wasn’t going to simply move around the ring and let me try and hit him either. I wasn’t wearing a gumshield, so at least I could take some comfort from Imran’s assurances that he wouldn’t punch me in the mouth.
Silly Richard…
With forty seconds or so on the clock, I attempted a feeble combination, and the next thing I knew my upper lip was stinging and Imran was laughing. I thought my gloves were up; evidently they weren’t; and I honestly never saw the punch coming. I got tagged a few more times over the next couple of minutes, a second one in the mouth, one in the right eye and another to the side of the head. I quickly realised I needed to watch for Josh’s right hand ... so I did... but it didn’t make any difference!
I dread to think how hard Josh can actually punch, but his hand speed is incredible - so much so that when I later watched the pretty embarrassing video of my efforts, I had to slow the speed to actually see the punch that hit me in the mouth!
I know I was rubbish, but it didn’t matter. Not taking on this challenge would have been a whole lot easier than actually going through with it ... and I was quite proud of myself for having a go. I was grateful to Imran (but only a little bit) and to Josh for allowing me to keep my teeth, and for giving me an experience on which I fully intend to dine out when Josh hits the big time!
Even before I discovered what Imran had in mind, I was already slightly apprehensive when I arrived at Natural Progression Boxing Academy in Stockton-on-Tees. Imran was putting a very impressive group of youngsters through their paces and, not for the first time during these challenges, I felt every single one of my fifty years.
Josh arrived, taped up his hands (I couldn’t possibly tell you what he used for padding) and started to warm up for his “proper” training session, whilst Imran laced up my gloves, before taking the pads and giving me my first ever boxing lesson. Despite being slow of movement, with the weakest right-hand jab in history, the old “Kirby left” managed to connect a couple of times; but after about five minutes Imran’s declaration that I was “ready” was the very definition of misplaced confidence!
There were two main reasons why the original task was simply based around training. Firstly, I would never have insulted a professional athlete (or the other youngsters at the gym for that matter) by suggesting that a total novice like me could - or should - climb into a boxing ring. Secondly (and probably more importantly if the truth be told) I wasn’t exactly thrilled at the prospect of getting hurt!
That said, there was no way I was going to back out: I was fitted with a headguard and clambered rather clumsily into the ring (which was smaller than I imagined, and didn’t seem to have an emergency exit).
Was I nervous? You bet I was. I was in a boxing ring with one of the best young fighters of his weight in the country ... about to attempt to spar for three one-minute rounds. And much as I realised Josh wasn’t going unleash his hardest shots, he wasn’t going to simply move around the ring and let me try and hit him either. I wasn’t wearing a gumshield, so at least I could take some comfort from Imran’s assurances that he wouldn’t punch me in the mouth.
Silly Richard…
With forty seconds or so on the clock, I attempted a feeble combination, and the next thing I knew my upper lip was stinging and Imran was laughing. I thought my gloves were up; evidently they weren’t; and I honestly never saw the punch coming. I got tagged a few more times over the next couple of minutes, a second one in the mouth, one in the right eye and another to the side of the head. I quickly realised I needed to watch for Josh’s right hand ... so I did... but it didn’t make any difference!
I dread to think how hard Josh can actually punch, but his hand speed is incredible - so much so that when I later watched the pretty embarrassing video of my efforts, I had to slow the speed to actually see the punch that hit me in the mouth!
I know I was rubbish, but it didn’t matter. Not taking on this challenge would have been a whole lot easier than actually going through with it ... and I was quite proud of myself for having a go. I was grateful to Imran (but only a little bit) and to Josh for allowing me to keep my teeth, and for giving me an experience on which I fully intend to dine out when Josh hits the big time!