Broner vs Porter

On Saturday night, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is playing host to what should be a hellacious battle. Both combatants are young, strong, fast, and neither can afford to lose. With both fighters heralding from Ohio, the fight presents an interesting twist: hometown bragging rights for the victor. On each of their resumes lies a single loss; but there the similarities cease. Tomorrow, for 36 minutes or less, their friendship will have to be put to one side as the pair engages in what should be a fan-pleasing show.

Broner is outspoken, crass, flashy and unashamedly confident. Porter, on the other hand, comes across with a charming poise. He’s a humble man with the confidence and assuredness befitting of his credentials. Broner’s loss came at the hands of Marcos Maidana, and though the fight didn’t go to plan Broner importantly showed he had a lot of character. Porter’s unbeaten streak was ended by undefeated IBF welterweight champion, Kell Brook. While Brook is still building his name in the U.S., his performances to date suggest he would give any of the top 147-pounders a run for their money. So while both fighters have tasted defeat both remain very much in their physical primes. For Broner, defeat might have come as a blessing. His career as a hip-hop artist would have to be put on the back-burner for sure, but his cocky and polarising on-camera persona remains unchanged. Neither fighter chose to use defeat as an opportunity to change trainer either. Porter remains with his father, Kenny, and Broner under the watchful eye of long-time coach Mike Stafford.

At Broner’s insistence the contest will be fought at 144 pounds, some three pounds lighter than Porter’s usual weigh-in limit. Broner’s team also inserted a rehydration clause that states neither fighter can come in heavier than 154 pounds on fight night. Will Porter’s need to shift those extra pounds play into the hands of Broner? We won’t know until both men step into the ring on Saturday; however, team Broner must see something in it.

Stylistically it makes for a great fight. Porter uses come forward aggression, which he has to use intelligently if he wants to avoid Broner’s counters and his stiff jab. He likes to get on top of his opponent, smother their work and punch off of angles. Broner, on the other hand, stands tall and fight at range, but at times, his flat footedness lands him in trouble. From what they’ve both shown in their careers to date, Broner I feel is the technically more accomplished boxer. Against Porter, he will inevitably try to keep it long, and while he can fight on the inside, he doesn’t want to let Porter get in range in my opinion. His work rate, or lack thereof, could pose a problem for Broner too. And then there’s the way he carries his left hand, opting to rely on his reflexes and shoulder roll defence rather than a high-held guard.

So whose night will it be? I believe Broner has to fight a very disciplined fight to win. His concentration has to be on point at all times; he needs to keep it long, for the most part, sit down on his punches and use his feet and hands to stay out of danger. Broner doesn’t want to find himself against the ropes too much against Porter, which means when Porter charges forward Broner needs to take two steps back and then step off to the side. For Porter to be victorious, he needs to be relentless. There needs to be less tell in his jab accompanied by some subtle feints and intelligent pressure throughout the fight. I see this as a ‘pick em’ fight. Broner has skills and potential but with so much at stake, I wouldn’t like to make a bet on predicting a winner

Chris Algieri

Most boxers crave that marquee fight that defines their career and paves the way for bigger and better things. For Chris Algieri it was a victory over Ruslan Provodnikov. Algieri is a likeable and intelligent individual who has a master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition. But don’t let the brains fool you; this man is a real fighter. He showed that in having to climb off the canvas in round one against Provodnikov before going on to earn a split decision victory over the fighter nicknamed ‘the Siberian Rocky’. Throughout the contest Algieri remained focussed, showing he had the grit, determination and the boxing skills to defeat a very dangerous opponent.

Whether his victory justified him a shot at Manny Pacquiao is another thing. It certainly wasn’t the opponent the boxing world was craving for Pacquiao. Regardless, the two met at the end of 2014 in Macau, China, at a catch weight of 144 pounds. The undefeated American was to move up in weight from light-welterweight to face Pacquiao and was undoubtedly facing his toughest challenge yet. But Pacquiao, who had put in on an impressive show against the stationary but tough Brandon Rios, had been knocked out clean by long-time adversary Juan Manuel Marquez just two fights previously. Some observers thought the tall and mobile Algieri could pose problems for Pacquiao. Would Pacquaio be able to close the distance as we had seen him do countless times before against tall, rangy opponents?

But the majority saw victory for Algieri as a tall order, and under the bright lights, Pacquiao showed why. The fight was a clear cut one-sided affair, with Pacquiao delivering scoring six-knockdowns. It was evident early on in the fight that the formula for success which had worked so well against Provodnikov wasn’t going to work against Pacquiao. Matters were compounded for Algieri courtesy of some bewildering advice received between rounds too.

If Algieri’s victory over Provodnikov had flattered him a little, then his fight with Pacquiao suggested he wasn’t ready to mix it with the elite fighters in the 147-pound division. Now 20-1, Algieri had to make some adjustments. Perhaps wisely (and so often the case following a first loss) was a change of trainer. But in choosing Amir Khan as his next opponent he apparently didn’t fancy a tune-up fight to get him back to winning ways. Having joined forces with John David Jackson (trainer of light heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev), Algieri looked reinvented against Khan.

Whatever was responsible for the crowd-pleasing show Chris Algieri put on against Amir Khan it has made me want to see more. And I don’t think I’m on my own. Where was the back-foot boxer we had seen against Pacquiao? Against Khan we saw an exciting come-forward fighter; Algieri fighting out of his skin and making an exciting battle that no one predicted. At several points during the fight Algieri seemed to hurt Khan too, buckling the Brit’s legs with a series of overhand rights. And while the relentless pressure wasn’t enough to secure victory, the account he gave of himself live on NBC earned Algieri plenty of fans and Kudos. That kids got a future.

The Ariza Factor

Both inside and outside of the ring controversy have followed Floyd Mayweather his entire career. His last loss was at the hands of a controversial decision that cost Mayweather Olympic Gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Since then and throughout his professional career he has always been surrounded by and often instigated controversy.

So perhaps Mayweather’s decision to add Alex Ariza (former strength and conditioning coach to Manny Pacquiao) shouldn’t surprise us. As I sit here theorizing over a range of explanations for the addition of Ariza to his May 2^nd preparations I find it hard to reach a definitive conclusion. The first and most obvious is psychological warfare. Many of Mayweather’s previous 47 opponents have succumbed to his mind-games. Employing the ex-conditioning coach of Team Pacquiao could certainly qualify for psychological warfare. Though there’s no evidence in the public domain to suggest Pacquiao and Ariza ever formally fell out, the discourse between Freddie Roach and Ariza has never been pleasant since their split. And before Alex Ariza was fired by Pacquaio (something believed to be ordered by Roach), Pacquiao was putting fighters to sleep with ease.

Another cynical but reasonable explanation is simple: controversy. No one knows how to sell a fight, or an event for that matter, better than Floyd Mayweather. Videos of Alex Ariza helping Mayweather prepare for Saturday’s fight add another layer of intrigue and public interest to the already highly anticipated bout. But what about the tangible physical and mental gains of having Ariza involved at this late stage in his career? He’s been doing a pretty good job so far without any of the modern marvels of scientific conditioning.

Firstly I should say that while an interested observer in the application of strength and conditioning to boxing, I have no scientific qualifications to quantify the observations I make. Early in his career, Mayweather was knocking plenty of decent fighters out. Some say his weak hands account for the lack of knockouts, others suggest he doesn’t carry the punch up at welterweight. I disagree with both views. I think his safety-first style is the main contributor to the lack of knockouts in recent years. Could there be something Mayweather has seen in his Ariza’s time with Pacquiao that he thinks he could benefit from?

Mayweather’s conditioning has always been supreme. He’s never run out of puff, and he barely looks as if he’s broken a sweat some fights. But if you’re a close observer of Floyd Mayweather then like me you must have noticed the change in his physique for this fight. To me, he looks more muscular, markedly bigger and I attribute that to Ariza. But could there be adverse effects to the additional bulk Floyd seems to have put on? Could it slow his speed, or will he carry the same cat-like reflexes with an extra dollop of mustard to his shots?

In a recent video interview, Ariza spoke on his association with Mayweather, which goes right back to the days of when he was in the corner of a former opponent of Mayweather’s, Diego Corrales. But it was the rematch between Mayweather and Marcos Maidana where Ariza seemed to be (whether officially or not) part of the camp. Not everyone is happy with his presence in the American’s camp. Floyd Mayweather Sr (trainer and father of Floyd Mayweather Jr) being one of them. Whether that’s his old school attitude to this relatively new science or an ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ approach remains unclear. Perhaps some of his reluctance to the new addition to the camp is the failed drug tests that fighters associated with Ariza (Brandon Rios for one) have succumbed to.

Or could Ariza’s presence be a product of something simpler? Does Floyd see something in Pacquiao that he feels warrants that extra level of preparation? One thing for sure, much like his boxing; every move Floyd Mayweather makes is calculated.

Gremlins

Sorry – tech issues have caused a delay in posting my latest blog post. Please come back tomorrow to read more ! Thanks 

May 2nd: Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Manny Pacquiao

In less than two weeks time the widely acclaimed best pound-for-pound boxers of this generation will collide in the most lucrative fight in history. Much to the bemusement of boxing fans and the media, still no tickets for the highly anticipated matchup have gone on sale. Even with the fight’s self-proclaimed A-Side expected to take home north of 150 million dollars and his last line of defence against Pacquiao’s punches containing a $100 bill, diamond dust and flecks of gold, these circumstances seem absurd. But Mayweather, with his $20,000 mouthpiece, represents only one side of this extraordinary event. Pacquiao’s rise from abject poverty to fame is an inspiring story. Both inside the ring and through his political endeavours Manny Pacquaio represents the people. He is the ultimate people’s champion, a fan favourite and a legend in his native Philippines. By contrast Mayweather’s brand is a product of his astute personal marketing programme, evolving alongside his unrivalled financial success. Under the banner of The Money Team (TMT) he appeals to those who lust after the material success that his mantra of ‘hard work and dedication’ (and of course talent) has brought him.

So we have two fighters with distinctly different fighting styles and public personas. Both have been propelled by their mutual desire to square off in the ring and both are destined to make a fortune from this fight. But this fight means more to both fighters than money. Despite his resume, had Floyd Mayweather bowed out of the sport without facing Manny Pacquiao there would have question marks over his career. All 47 of Mayweather’s victories have come against viable threats; many decorated current and future hall-of-fame fighters. Despite his two-year layoff from the sport, Mayweather would argue that he should never have lost his number one pound-for-pound status. But while Mayweather was taking a rest from the sport, Pacquiao was producing some truly scintillating form demolishing anyone and anything in his path culminating in the World Boxing Council (WBC) naming him ‘Fighter of the Decade’ in 2011. He seemed invincible against all foes, except for one: Juan Manuel Marquez. A fighter we should say was made to look amateurish by Floyd Mayweather in his return to the ring back in September 2009. But while Mayweather had proved he had lost nothing by his brief absence from the sport, Pacquiao had been busy dispatching of British brawler, Ricky Hatton, in a brutal second round K.O. and stopped Miguel Cotto to lay his claim to the sport’s number one spot. So both fighters share common opponents, and arguments can be made on both sides for who produced the better results.

Perhaps looking at the fighter’s most recent bouts can shed some light on who holds the advantage going into the ring on May 2^nd. Mayweather’s last fight was against the extremely durable, unorthodox and dangerous Marcos Maidana. Freddie Roach likes to look at this as evidence of Mayweather’s deteriorating legs. For large spells of the fight, Floyd was backed up against the ropes and the elusive footwork that had made him such a tricky guy to pin down seemed (to Roach’s credit) absent. When the pair squared off months later for their rematch, Mayweather was up on his toes producing a beautiful performance to pull a dominant one-sided victory. So what of Manny Pacquaio’s recent run of form? The devastating knockout he suffered at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez meant his homecoming party against the tough, but slow Brandon Rios was deemed more dangerous than it would ever be before. But Manny’s performance against the younger Rios seemed to quell any doubts of irreparable damage suffered at the hands of the Mexican legend. So with his confidence seemingly high and no visible signs of physical or mental battle scars, he sought to avenge his controversial points loss against Timothy Bradley Jr. This fight showed that Pacquiao had the hand speed and angles, and the boxing IQ to outfox, outhustle and outfight one of the top contenders in the division. And then, in the fall of 2014, he inflicted six knockdowns on Chris Algieri celebrating his 57^th professional win.

So Manny enters the ring May 2^nd coming on the back of a series of impressive wins. He rides into battle with a clear purpose: to dethrone the unbeaten Mayweather. Backed by his countrymen and millions of fans all over the world, more motivated than ever on what some observers are calling ‘a religious crusade’. Mayweather, on the other hand, is determined to see out the end of his career and retire unbeaten. How will history unfold on May 2^nd? Check back in Monday 27^th as I examine the other factors that could decide their fates.

2015: A KO Year?

The present state of boxing with its bitter promotional rivalries and warring television networks means fans are often left wanting. Don’t get me wrong; there are promoters out there who want to make the most exciting fights happen and whose presence is positive for the sport. Take Britain’s Eddie Hearne for example. You may not like his smooth spun Essex charm, but it’s hard to argue with the results he delivers. Captivating the nation with Froch-Groves fever and filling London’s Wembley football stadium with 80,000 screaming fans just one of them. Part I of making 2015 a year to remember is to end the on-off saga between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. If the recent meetings between the two fighters bear fruit, then we should see the fight announced imminently. May 2nd isn’t that far off after all. And even though the fight is coming four years too late it remains a bout that will set all-time records and have us all on the edge of our seats.

Deontay Wilder becoming the heavyweight champion is another positive development for the sport. He’s big, he’s bad, and he’s just the sort of character the division needs. However for the division to pose real allure there have to be several credible contenders to the throne. The Klitschko brothers have been excellent ambassadors for the sport and worthy champions also, but for the division to be truly alive once again it needs new names to make the headlines. Britain has its share of fighters who are all seeking heavyweight glory in 2015. Tyson Fury: 6-foot-9 and armed with an equally sized mouth. David Haye: a former world champion who has promised to make a return in 2015. And Anthony Joshua: a potential crossover star with power, athleticism and the makings of a fine champion.

But with several hall of fame fighters destined to retire in the next couple of years who are the upcoming fighters ready to take the torch? Talented and undefeated Amir Imam is one junior-welterweight I’m expecting big things from in the future. He came to my attention on the undercard of Wilder-Stiverne producing an exciting performance to extend his unbeaten record to 16-0. Also fighting that night was Leo Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz, whose form hasn’t been quite so scintillating as of late, expressed a desire during his post-fight interview to face either Britain’s Scott Quigg or Ireland’s Carl Frampton next. Though I’d rather see an eliminator between Quigg and Frampton first, either of those fights should be they present themselves promise action. But there’s one fight that I have earmarked as a potential fight-of-the-year candidate. On March 7^th, Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero will face off against Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman. Both fighters can box; both like to slug it out, and both have the ability to end the fight with either fist. Will it be Thurman’s night, or will Guerrero prove too much of a test for him? I’m going with the Ghost. So the scene is set. 2015 has the makings of a great year; let’s just hope it delivers.

Kovalev defeats Hopkins

Last night Sergey Kovalev proved he is the man to beat in the light heavyweight division by dominating a defiant but overmatched Bernard Hopkins.

From the start, Kovalev showed why he was the bookmaker’s favourite by flooring his older opponent with an overhand right. Kovalev looked the bully throughout, forcing his older opponent to use constantly his legs to avoid his heavy punches. We’ve seen Hopkins fight this way before. However, Kovalev never presented openings for Hopkins to capitalise on. Hopkins seemed wary of throwing his trademark lead right hands, and the few times he did let his hands go he never really troubled his opponent.

Hopkins wasn’t able to outwit his opponent either. Kovalev’s offence remained controlled throughout; displaying his brains and brawn in front of a sold out Atlantic City crowd. When Hopkins did rally he had the crowd on their feet, but his success was short-lived as Kovalev came back with his own more hurtful shots. Ultimately Hopkins was unable to assert himself at any point during the fight, coming up short against a bigger, stronger and better man on the night.

Kovalev’s dominant victory proved he’s the real article. How he advances from here is unclear; is anyone going to want a piece of the 31-year-old following that performance? And what about Hopkins? Should Hopkins decide to draw the curtains on his fantastic career, then he leaves with his pride, fully intact. Yes, he was hurt, but in withstanding the onslaught of Kovalev and a climactic 12^th round reinforced his legendary status. A new star has arrived in the light-heavyweight division.

Hopkins-Kovalev Preview

 A blockbuster November kicks off tonight from Atlantic City, USA when Bernard ‘The Alien’ Hopkins takes on the undefeated Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev.

Hopkins’s story is fascinating. He earned his tough-guy reputation on the mean streets of Philadelphia, but one too many brushes with the law were to land him in the state penitentiary facing a lengthy sentence. Inside jail Hopkins developed the discipline that has allowed him to dominate fighters in their mid-twenties. Few fighters eat, sleep and breathe the game like he does. He is in no doubt a different breed to most. Alien, perhaps not.

But longevity is just one of the remarkable things about Bernard Hopkins. His professional career spans 26 years and 65 fights and is sprinkled with victories over future Hall of Famers. De Le Hoya, Trinidad, Tarver; the list goes on. Hopkins’s experience, style and mental toughness make him elite in one of the world’s toughest professions. But the threat posed by Sergey Kovalev is deemed to be very real.

Kovalev brings to the table 26 victories (23 coming inside the distance). He’s operated under the radar for most of his career, but the way he’s steamrolled through the division has made him one of the most avoided and feared fighters in the sport. The way he tore through undefeated Welshman Nathan Cleverly sent a clear message to everyone in the light-heavyweight division. Much is made of Kovalev’s power, but his boxing brain and timing are underrated. Come tonight, Hopkins will need all the ring smarts he knows to keep the relenting Kovalev at bay.

It’s an intriguing matchup; one in which age doesn’t play a big factor. Hopkins has looked fired up and is utterly convinced of his ability to win this fight. Why else would he take it? He’s far too smart to take a fight he thought he couldn’t win. I don’t believe it’s the money either; this is for his legacy. A victory over the younger, harder hitting Russian would put another layer of polish to his career. So what are Kovalev’s chances? He’s the bookies favourite; I also believe he has the tools to get the job done. Much is made of Kovalev’s power, but he’s not reckless either. What is unknown is how he will react if he can’t get to Hopkins. What happens when the older man makes him miss and stings him with counters?

Hopkins can take the life out of fights. I believe this fight will be one for the purists. I predict we see a smart, mobile and aggressive counter-punching Hopkins surprising Kovalev. Though Kovalev will have his moments, I can’t see him putting Hopkins into retirement. Hopkins to pull off a career defining victory and unify the division.

Mayweather vs Maidana 2

Most predicted that boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter would have an easy night’s work against Argentinian welterweight champion Marcos Maidana. Few believed the hard-hitting Argentine would steal more than a few rounds in their showdown at the MGM Grand earlier this year. Fewer thought the two would be facing off in a rematch later that year. Maidana had a punchers chance, but ask any of Mayweather’s previous 45 opponents how easy it is to land cleanly on Floyd, and you can perhaps understand why Maidana was a 12-1 underdog going into the fight. But Maidana had overcome the odds before, and his career was also experiencing somewhat of a mini-revival under the tutelage of revered trainer Robert Garcia. Their partnership had heralded four back-to-back victories culminating in an impressive one-sided beating of undefeated American star, Adrien Broner. Maidana (again the underdog going into the fight) executed an impressive game plan to out hustle his brash and controversial opponent. Maidana’s display cemented his status as one of the welterweight division’s most hot stars and caught the eye of Floyd Mayweather.

But Mayweather is no Broner. Yes, the two share some comparable characteristics inside the ring, but the most seasoned star is on an altogether different level. Apart from Jose Luis Castillo and arguably Oscar De Lo Hoya, no one has come close to toppling Mayweather’s 17-year reign as world champion. And despite advancing into the twilight years of his career, Mayweather remains unbeaten rising to the challenge of whoever they put in front of him.

But would the same tactics Maidana used to defeat Broner work against boxing’s ultimate technician? It was a showdown between an unorthodox and relenting pressure fighter vs. possibly the sport’s best boxing brain. Maidana forced the attack early, and this came as no surprise, but what I didn’t expect was for Maidana to be able to cut off the ring so effectively. Was this the product of a more crowd-pleasing Floyd Mayweather or are his legs (as Freddie Roach believes) not once what they once were? I think the latter to be true. Floyd is not as fleet of foot as he once was; his style has evolved over the years, but he remains largely elusive. Maidana was able to catch Floyd, but Mayweather was able to stay calm in the heat of battle and make the necessary adjustments to regain control of the fight. Something I had him doing from round four onwards. We saw Floyd cut for the first time (the result of a head butt), and a rousing battle ensued that was deemed one of the toughest of Floyd’s career. Fortunately, for Mayweather, the noisy pro-Latino crowd wasn’t scoring the bout. From the rafters, the more aggressive Maidana may have looked to be controlling the action, but it was the cleaner work of Mayweather that shone through as the fight advanced. After the final bell had sounded the contest was scored by one judge, Michael Permick, as an 114-114 draw. However, Burt Clements had it 117-111 Mayweather’s favour, and Dave Moretti scored it 116-112 to Mayweather as well.

In the rematch, it is Maidana who has to do something different. The first fight proved Maidana can catch Floyd and outwork him. Despite the Argentine’s quirky style and unwavering will, it still wasn’t enough to produce a victory. To be the first person to beat Floyd Mayweather-Maidana has to either catch Floyd clean with one of his power shots or assert the pressure and success he showed in their first fight for the full 12 rounds. I am picking Mayweather to win the rematch- I think we will see more-or-less a repeat of their first fight. Both fighters will have learned something from their initial contest, but I believe it is Mayweather who will adapts to produce another clear victory. The fight is in less than two weeks.

The Hurt Business

Throughout the history of boxing, there have been standout fighters who have managed to make this violent craft look like a thing of beauty. These boxers possessed an aptitude and skill level so dominant it sometimes masked the brutality of their profession. Mohammad Ali used to have it. So did Sugar Ray Robinson. And of our time Floyd Mayweather has it. But at its essence boxing is a brutal sport; they don’t call it the hurt business for nothing.

A boxer can’t afford to cut corners in training. He or she can’t enter the ring anything other than fully prepared, or they will be found out. And the consequences of being found out in this sport can be career ending. Or worse. ‘The ring can be a lonely place’ is a boxing cliché yet such a truism. There are only four corners to hide in and at some point, the truth will find you.

Last night I was served a reminder of why you must take this sport seriously. In professional boxing, unlike other sports, you can’t just actually dust yourself down at the end of the day and hope for a better performance next time. The consequences of a bad day in the office can be life threatening so you must always be on your game.

I’m not ashamed to say that my boxing career has been limited. Like many I started out in the sport in the pursuit of fitness. But  I soon got the bug and the taste for something more. Spurred on by the encouragement of my coaches and an inner desire to answer questions of myself I eventually stepped inside the ropes. With four fights to my name (two wins and two losses) my record may not look all that impressive. But being a part-time boxer (if there can be such a thing) I’m very satisfied. Even from those four fights I’ve learned so much. From having to pick myself off the floor in my second bout and coming back to lose a very closely contested decision to battle the nerves of fighting in front of a large crowd at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace- I am proud of what I’ve achieved.

I was last back in the ring in March, taking part in my first fight in the Queensbury Boxing League. The league was launched in 2010 and offers British-based boxers a platform to compete on. The league has gone from strength to strength attracting a substantial following by offering fairly matched, competitive fights fought at a high pace. My debut resulted in a second round T.K.O of my opponent, and with the bouts televised on Eurosport and a large crowd in attendance, it made for a memorable experience.

But as a result of a long-standing hand injury I haven’t stepped foot in the ring since March. Until last night that was. The time out of the ring has been frustrating. I’m sure I’m not alone in seeing the boxing gym as a haven to get away from life’s problems. Somewhere where you can focus your attention and sweat out the frustration. And of course, there’s the banter.

So with my hand healed I thought I’d throw myself in at the deep end by challenging top quality amateur boxer, Jordan Grannum, to three threes. Things started off okay, but as we approached the end of the second round all I could hear my coach bellowing: ‘Get off the ropes! Move your feet! Keep your hands up!’ They were the right instructions to give; I just didn’t have the fitness to carry them out. As we entered the third round, Grannum could see I was flagging. Every jab I threw was being countered, my hands were around my waist, and my offence was being picked off and countered by the much sharper and fitter man sharing the ring with me.

Soon he saw an opening and pounced, rattling off some sharp combinations before dropping a straight right down the pipe that brought proceedings to a close. Those few minutes in the ring were enough to highlight what a dangerous place the ring is when you don’t take the sport seriously. Props to my sparring partner, Jordan Grannum, who is looking in fantastic shape for the new season. For me, it’s another lesson learned.