Boxing & being Teetotal

Was just watching the Crolla-Limond fight last night when they mentioned 4 fight prospect John Thain was teetotal during his bout at the start of the show and it had me thinking about how big a factor it is in a boxer's general success. Obviously there have been notorious drinkers in boxing i.e Hatton, Duran, Pavlik, Scott Harrison etc etc but in some cases their success doesn't reflect this.

How good an idea is it to not drink alcohol at all during your time as a boxer, amateur or pro? Cause let's face it boxing and drinking do NOT go hand in hand sadly, as both are absolutely glorious pursuits. Is it particularly common to not drink at all in the pro ranks? Cheers

Used to train with John, he looked really good last night, not sure if McMillan who i also trained and sparred with actually fought, can't find a result yet. Good to see some of the fights lower down the bill on BoxNation.

I'm sure there will be many who enjoy a little drink after they've fought, i wouldn't advise a Ricky Hatton style binge though, you would be suprised how many also enjoy to smoke which is something you don't hear about, same with footballers. With an amatuer though you fight so frequent it's best to leave it alone.

The Galveston Giant wrote:Used to train with John, he looked really good last night, not sure if McMillan who i also trained and sparred with actually fought, can't find a result yet. Good to see some of the fights lower down the bill on BoxNation.

Old fella i got chatting to in a sauna (think what you like of that) told me to keep an eye on John Thain and yeah he did look decent! Yeah McMillan won by a single round apparently not his best performance.

All boxers should be teetotal during the training camps for fights, that's just a no brainer. I do worry however for the guys who boxing is all they know in their life and so will stick at it way past their best, for me its better to live a little and enjoy a few beers between fights even if it means having a shorter career.

BallchinianMuffwig wrote:

The Galveston Giant wrote:Used to train with John, he looked really good last night, not sure if McMillan who i also trained and sparred with actually fought, can't find a result yet. Good to see some of the fights lower down the bill on BoxNation.

Old fella i got chatting to in a sauna (think what you like of that) told me to keep an eye on John Thain and yeah he did look decent! Yeah McMillan won by a single round apparently not his best performance.

I'll not ask . Yeah cheers for the McMillan result mate. I thought he was going to do well in the paid ranks but he's finding it hard. John is a great talent, he's going to struggle with power until he plants his feet a bit more but i don't think he'll ever be a huge puncher.

Should think alcohol in ok amounts would be more beneficial than smoking....

Think alcohol can help you unwind without long term effect where as smoking hinders lung capacity to a certain extent....and Oxygen intake is integral during the later rounds..

Obviously it depends on the lungs and the capacity..

Don't think... not drinking.. helps that much really as relaxation of mind and body is a good thing....and alcohol in moderation gives you that..

Unless he's having plenty of sex and if he is.. I'm jealous......

Hopefully not in the sauna though especially if Ballchinian is in there!!

The Galveston Giant wrote:

BallchinianMuffwig wrote:

The Galveston Giant wrote:Used to train with John, he looked really good last night, not sure if McMillan who i also trained and sparred with actually fought, can't find a result yet. Good to see some of the fights lower down the bill on BoxNation.

Old fella i got chatting to in a sauna (think what you like of that) told me to keep an eye on John Thain and yeah he did look decent! Yeah McMillan won by a single round apparently not his best performance.

I'll not ask . Yeah cheers for the McMillan result mate. I thought he was going to do well in the paid ranks but he's finding it hard. John is a great talent, he's going to struggle with power until he plants his feet a bit more but i don't think he'll ever be a huge puncher.

Very tall and rangy at the weight though. I wouldn't be surprised to see him move up as high as 168lbs. Don't think he will ever be a concussive puncher mind you. My mate Kris Carslaw has that problem no power and not the slickest skills. Couldn't beat Matthew Hall he's pretty much finished the guys a real hard worker as well it's a shame.

prettyboykev wrote:

The Galveston Giant wrote:

BallchinianMuffwig wrote:

The Galveston Giant wrote:Used to train with John, he looked really good last night, not sure if McMillan who i also trained and sparred with actually fought, can't find a result yet. Good to see some of the fights lower down the bill on BoxNation.

Old fella i got chatting to in a sauna (think what you like of that) told me to keep an eye on John Thain and yeah he did look decent! Yeah McMillan won by a single round apparently not his best performance.

I'll not ask . Yeah cheers for the McMillan result mate. I thought he was going to do well in the paid ranks but he's finding it hard. John is a great talent, he's going to struggle with power until he plants his feet a bit more but i don't think he'll ever be a huge puncher.

Very tall and rangy at the weight though. I wouldn't be surprised to see him move up as high as 168lbs. Don't think he will ever be a concussive puncher mind you. My mate Kris Carslaw has that problem no power and not the slickest skills. Couldn't beat Matthew Hall he's pretty much finished the guys a real hard worker as well it's a shame.

He just didn't have the power to keep hall off did he Kev, he was slowly worn down.

Mate the guy works so hard in the gym and lives the right life just has absolutely no power. A bit of dig and he could have got to Euro level maybe and would do good numbers in Paisley. Shame really he'll probably end up fighting Craig Windsor Jnr. I just hope he gives that mouthy git a hiding I can't stand Windsor.

Did you see Harrison getting in the ring he looked a bit ropey. Think he's back on the bevvy.

What's the Scottish amateur scene looking like Kev and GG? I know Josh Taylor is through to the final tomorrow, but Scottish boxers are few and far between in regards to the GB scene.

Being a Belfast boys, we are booming right now. Would not pick a selection of boxers from any British or Irish city to beat us overall.

Through in the East there's not a lot happening at the moment Goldenbhoy, the good amatuers such as Jason Hastie, Gary McMillan, John Thain, Stephen Simmons have all turned pro recently with mixed success. There was a couple of really good younger guys when i was still training but most have packed it in. Young guy Kevin Skey is still going though and could do well.

Unfortunately not great mate. It's hard for the boys up here to get the funding they need for a spell down at Sheffield because of some red tape rubbish.

Six clubs have been shut in Glasgow this year and nothing has been put in place to replace them. Guys like Allan McGoldrick at Shotts do a great job but there isn't enough of them around. He's lost a small fortune on that club as well. He did get a bit of extra funding for doing good work with unemployed youths in the area though which keeps him open and lets him spend a few more hours in the place over the next year but after that it's a lottery.

The Galveston Giant wrote:Through in the East there's not a lot happening at the moment Goldenbhoy, the good amatuers such as Jason Hastie, Gary McMillan, John Thain, Stephen Simmons have all turned pro recently with mixed success. There was a couple of really good younger guys when i was still training but most have packed it in. Young guy Kevin Skey is still going though and could do well.

Sad to hear GG. Scotland has produced some cracking amateurs, but recently that seems to have dried up. You didn't have a bad showing at the last commonwealths, but even Simmons was beaten by Ward from Belfast, and he is at the fringes of Irish elite boxing.

Did you know that Scotland and Wales will no longer be able to send a team to the World Championships? It could well be another nail in amateur boxing.

John Slowey and Sammy Hill were probably the best in Glasgow but both are pros now not sure how far they will go mind you. Being a powderpuff puncher is something of a trait with Scottish fighters now.

prettyboykev wrote:Unfortunately not great mate. It's hard for the boys up here to get the funding they need for a spell down at Sheffield because of some red tape rubbish.

Six clubs have been shut in Glasgow this year and nothing has been put in place to replace them. Guys like Allan McGoldrick at Shotts do a great job but there isn't enough of them around. He's lost a small fortune on that club as well. He did get a bit of extra funding for doing good work with unemployed youths in the area though which keeps him open and lets him spend a few more hours in the place over the next year but after that it's a lottery.

It's really sad to hear kev. I was reading an article about the Immaculata club from west Belfast recently about funding. They are really flying at the moment, winning National titles at junior, intermediate and senior. But it's costing them so much money to send them down to Dublin for the finals, that they are now in difficulties. Sending less boxers is the only financial remedy, but that will have a detrimental effect on the boxers and the sport itself. They need more lottery or government funding, as these clubs are a central hub to the surrounding community.

Shotts got their funding from Barry Hughes and Paul Ferris. If its good enough for Kenny Anderson then why not. The government would leave him to go bust.

Haha, not great publicity for the club if Ferris is your main backer. But if it keeps the doors open then who's to argue. Glasgow, like Belfast, is a real fight city, so would be good to see boxing pick up again. The Welsh seem to hold their own,competitively, in GB boxing, so it would be good to see Scotland produce a few more.

Ferris has sponsored a few fighters and clubs down the years he's a big fan of the sport. It's good publicity for him as well it looks good for his new clean image he's trying hard to push these days.

The sad thing is guys like him and Hughes are the only ones interested. Their is a club where I live in Kirky but their isn't another club for 20 miles.

The government won't put any money in it because you get all the Liberals moaning that the sport should be banned not funded by the Government and Alex Salmond is apparently the proud owner of a vagina.

Where's the club in Kirky? Surely Croy must have a club, Pat Clinton being from there?

But it's a sad state of affairs when a club has to take money from a gangster turned businessman, just to keep the doors open. Does nothing for the reputation of the sport.

It's ran out of the church hall they let him have it for free 3 nights a week. No club in Croy Pat Clinton works for British Gas now selling gas door to door.

Theirs an MMA club in Cumbernauld that's it. Apparently there used to be clubs in Lennoxtown, Croy, Cumbernauld and Bishopbriggs. That's 5 clubs in a 30 mile radius (my geography might not be very good) now theres only one. Jim Watt visits the Kirky club I know he's threw a few bob there way.

Aye, I've seen Jim Watt in the newsagents facing the Antonine on Kirky main street a few times.

Sad to hear about Clinton. Heard he was mental when it came to the drink though.

I'm not being disrepectful to MMA, but I think all these clubs sprouting up are a bit of a flash in the pan. I can't see them sustaining growth when boxing clubs are closing.

6oldenbhoy wrote:Aye, I've seen Jim Watt in the newsagents facing the Antonine on Kirky main street a few times.

Sad to hear about Clinton. Heard he was mental when it came to the drink though.

I'm not being disrepectful to MMA, but I think all these clubs sprouting up are a bit of a flash in the pan. I can't see them sustaining growth when boxing clubs are closing.

I went to a MMA show a couple of years back when my mate was fighting, i've never seen so many people swaggering about in my life. It was full of fannys.

Am i allowed to say fannys.

Stuart Walkers the paper shop. They do penny mixtures I love that shop.

Clintons a clown it wasn't just the drink it was the coke same with Paul Weir and Gary Jacobs. Weir and Jacobs have sorted themselves out now. My Dad is mates with Jacobs he's a bell end. Tells everyone he fought Pernell Whittaker he doesn't tell them he got schooled though. He says it was close!

The MMA fad will pass once some kid gets hurt that will be the end of it.

What annoys me about MMA is the casual fans. My mate loved Chuck Liddell for his stand up game, but found it boring when they went to the ground. I pointed out that he enjoyed the BOXING element the sport, and that they would last a round with a half decent boxer under queensbury rules. Still swears by the UFC though.

Never knew Clinton was on the powder, but doesn't surprise me. Heard he is a nasty piece of work. I was speaking to a guy who's brother rolled Clinton's balls when he was a world champ, for being a fanny.

GG if it gets past the swear filter then it must be fine...