White Collar Boxing

Hi Guys. Just thought i'd share my first ever experience as a white collar boxer.

I wasnt planning on joining as i had a bad shoulder, but by the powers that may be, i was pursuaded. Started training in January weighing 86kgs. I weighed in at 77kgs on fight night. This event took place last week friday in Aylesbury and 40 fighters took part. We managed to raise 15k for cancer research in the process.

Back to my training. The camp went well with regular sparring sessions. Its only on tuesday, that i started having shoulder problems but decided to go with it anyway. I held this back from the coach as i wanted to perform in the tournament. After all i thought, i have sparred 3 min rounders with the likes of Nathan Graham i can most definately do this.

First round i start of good and we have a few punches in. He was the busier fighter so he won round 1. 10 - 9 to him

Second round we start off and as i slip jab, my shoulder makes a crunching noise and i winced in pain. He must have read that and swarmed me. He comes in with a 1, 2 and am on the ropes. I get away but he knows am hurt so he is on me through out. 10 - 9 to him.

At my corner my coach is asking if i am ok and i said yes i am good and he asked why i wasnt putting my punches together and i said i will. So in i go to round 3 with a bad shoulder. I tried to jab and the pain killed but i snuck in a right only to be countered and i was on the back foot. At this point, fear and panic have taken over and i am totally gassed. 10 - 9 to him and winner by UD.

The other fighters coach (Nathans Dad Michael Graham) came over and asked if i was ok and thats when i said my shoulder gave way in round 2 and he said he noticed something was not right as i dont fight the way i fought.

What did i learn from this.

1. Ego is a very bad thing. I shouldnt have gone into that fight in the condition i was in.
2. I have the atmost respect for boxers. Past and present. I couldnt have gone into round 4 the way i was. These guys fight 3 min rounds for 12 or 15 rounds. Big salute. I probably would have quit if i had to get in for another round.
3. We call boxers quiters until we are in there. I stuck it out because i knew he didnt know what he was doing. I was open for body shots and uppercuts and he didnt utilise any of those. He just did a Ricky Hatton and wrestled me wearing me down. I am grateful for that actually. I would have been killed otherwise.
4. It isnt easy fighting in front of 700 peple. I now respect guys like mayweather for getting in there and doing the job in front of 20k plus people.
5. Listen to the coach.

For me all i can say is I panicked and fighting in front of 700 people from my town probably got the best of me. I should have been the aggressor. I let him dictate the entire fight. Maybe thinking about my shoulder eventually got to me and hindered my performance. I gave credit to him. He capitalised on my weaknesses and won the fight fair and square. I would love a rematch when i am 100%.

Would i do it again? yes i would. When i dont know but i am currently undergoing consultation to get surgery done. I think i stretched some tendons and my arm feels like its about to fall off.

Anyway here are some pics of the event. I am fight 8 in the blue trunks.

http://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=1618850&Action=_VC&id=149763402&ppwd=whitecollar

Sorry for rambling on.

Good day

Great article mate , very well done to you.

All the best

Rodders

Good job our Jabby wasn't your opponent......  

Interesting read Mate and thanks for sharing......I can agree that fighting in front of a crowd is a nerve racking thing though it was less than 700 in my case....

Often said people don't realise how with all the nervous energy beforehand and the work rate when the bell rings how tired you get...Especially when you are losing...

Two minutes can feel like two hours..

You've got nuts.......You raised much needed money and you had an experience you'll never forget..

Congratulations Mate...

Well done for having a go, Boxing seems to be a sport that has more armchair fans than any other so it does annoy me when Boxers are called quitters, its tough getting hit in the face

Been to a couple of white collar charity events, good evening out!

Let us know if you get in there again!

Fair play to you mate. I have respect for anyone who competes in any combat sport.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. I intend to win the next one for 606v2.

The event was such a big hit the next one is in august 8/9th i think. Training starts May 26th. A few of my friends have joined so i will be there to guide them having been in the ring. I think they are raising money for alzheimer's this time round.

good luck..

I also recently took part in a White Collar Boxing event and it really gives you an appreciation of what boxers go through, albeit on a smaller scale.

For 10 weeks I lived the life - gave up booze, didn't go out, ate all the right stuff and trained 6 days a week. It takes some serious will power to give up the little things, like someone bringing birthday cake into the office or the odd biscuit with your brew.

I was also quite shocked as to how much of a grip the adrenaline takes once you step in the ring. Being a tall lanky guy I was set to box and move at range, but there was me in the first 30 seconds trying to mix it up with the stronger guy and taking unecessary shots. Keeping your clarity of thought whilst in the ring is much harder than it looks, believe me.

Fortunately I won my bout. The feeling of being victorious in front of your mates and family is indescribable! For one night you feel like a champion!

Respect Black Panther for taking part!

Well done.

I always thought about doing this. It looks like good fun.

Do you have a particular style?

Echoing the respect panther, and particularly for the good cause.

The lessons learnt seem sound ones... Let's hope next time out you prove you have learnt them!

Great article, a nice change of pace. Much respect for stepping in.

Question for OP....

Im assuming this is ultimatewhitecollarboxing? I signed up to this over the weekend via the website for a Liverpool show. Got an email saying they will be in touch 11 weeks prior to the even starting and that training will be over 8 weeks.

How does the training work? I live in Salford, not sure I could travel to Livepool multiple times a week as i work until 7pm 4 days a week. There are no shows on in Manchester yet which I find a bit strange. Will they introduce me to a trainer in my local area or will it be in Liverpool as thats where I am going to take part in the event?

Cheers

Don't want to be the grouch around all this, but what are the medical provisions in place around these types of events? Are MRI or CAT scans carried out as a matter of course, as is the case in professional shows? Is there anything in place to ensure fighters are not woefully overmatched? Not wanting to come across as overly negative on what is all done with the best of intentions but boxing is a dangerous sport and would personally be uncomfortable with anything that had anything less than the best safety measures in place.

Rowley...google ultimate white collar boxing. You get a proper training camp for 8 weeks, properly matched based on size and ability, and there are medics on hand when the event takes place. It's for charity as well, it's not some back room brawl in a dirty old mens club

Aside from that, personal responsibility...a thing of the past it would appear!

Wasn't a criticism mate. I genuinely didn't know, the match making sounds responsible. Take it from your response though brain scans are not part of the preparation.

Rowley wrote:Wasn't a criticism mate. I genuinely didn't know, the match making sounds responsible. Take it from your response though brain scans are not part of the preparation.

Yeah no worries didnt take it as criticism mate, dont know much about it myself just what ive seen on the webiste and the video clips ive watched.

Pretty sure brainscans are out, who knows. Im sure it meets whatever legal requirements there are and that will do for me   

Did Muay Thai (thai boxing) for three years and didnt have to have a brain scan before taking part in sparring / interclub competitions so Im not sure why this would be any different if im honest

Much respect for doing a ballsy thing for a good cause.

EX7EY wrote:Question for OP....

Im assuming this is ultimatewhitecollarboxing?  I signed up to this over the weekend via the website for a Liverpool show.  Got an email saying they will be in touch 11 weeks prior to the even starting and that training will be over 8 weeks.

How does the training work? I live in Salford, not sure I could travel to Livepool multiple times a week as i work until 7pm 4 days a week. There are no shows on in Manchester yet which I find a bit strange. Will they introduce me to a trainer in my local area or will it be in Liverpool as thats where I am going to take part in the event?

Cheers

Hi there pal. Somehow i didnt get any notifications as i normally do so apologies for late reply.

Ours is a local event set up by the local boxing gym. Not sure how yours will be run. For me, I knew one of the trainers so i opted to join his team. How it normally works is people join up and the coaches pick who they will train. Training is twice a week involving technique and cardio. More so cardio which they build up to light sparring between the team mates and sometimes the odd specialist to make you work a little.

Rowley wrote:Don't want to be the grouch around all this, but what are the medical provisions in place around these types of events? Are MRI or CAT scans carried out as a matter of course, as is the case in professional shows? Is there anything in place to ensure fighters are not woefully overmatched? Not wanting to come across as overly negative on what is all done with the best of intentions but boxing is a dangerous sport and would personally be uncomfortable with anything that had anything less than the best safety measures in place.

Hey Rowley. I understand your concern so not looking at it in any negative light so i can see where you are coming from.

The medical is simple. Measuring heart rate and just checking you are fit. It was my job to state if i wasnt. I could be roided up for all you know and no one will be non the wiser. Like someone said its personal responsibility. You will never be matched with someone bigger or heavier. Everyone has most likely never boxed e.g one of the fighters in my team had never fought in his life and this was his first training camp and fight. He was matched with a guy who has had 5 white collar matches previously. The guy who had never had a fight won the fight by UD and the guy who he fought thought he had fought previously.

Hope that helps