He was in pretty good shape last i saw him (for a guy who will be 60 next year). He wasn't the bloated obese guy whobfought holyfield. He still had a lot of stocky muscle and strength, i wouldn't mess with him.
What about you? The last I remember you mentioned putting your Golden Gloves dreams on the shelf. Have you been back to your gym since then?
Nope. I realized that brain degradation was unavoidable, even at the amateur level. I decided to get out before any damage was done. It was a tough decision, but I'm glad I made it. I still feel a sense of sorrow, because I loved it, and still do. I just valued the health of my brain too much. If I came from a tougher life and had little to no opportunities, that would've changed the equation. I really hope they come up with something in the future to prevent that kind of thing in contact sports. The last time I was at a boxing gym was the Mayweather Gym in Vegas a year ago. That was a cool experience.
This. I’ve had a lot of friends, who in my opinion had the potential to be good pros and even champions, but along the way they found an easier way to make a living. My buddy Sergio Nunez had potential, but three years into his pro career he got a real estate license and started making more money in real estate and his hunger to fight slowly died.
2 years ago, I couldn't make it anymore because I get off work later than the gym opens. I had to switch to MMA to be able to train, I love both today.
This afternoon if I get finished on time ! I just work the bags , pads these days. Go to a general fitness gym also 3 times a week. I work for myself so I'm flexible. In winter I have more time. I boxed successfully as an amateur in the mid 80's , always retained an interest. Taught my son and 2 daughters the basics as self defence. Just love the gym environment.
Last time was A couple months ago, I’ve trained at many up here in northern Cali and 1 in Southern Cali, In my experience, you show up and warm up, and do your ow. Thing on the bags, whose ever coaching will make time for you for one on one during the class to hold pads and critique you, sparring can happen but you usually have to ask the coach, and towards the end you’ll do some conditioning work as a group, that’s been my experience anyways
Used to train some amateurs and pros back in the later 1990s and early 2000s. Last time in a gym was last year just to see some sparring. I respect modern trainers and those from years ago. One thing I notice today is this over-reliance on the idea that we know so much more about nutrition and conditioning now (as well as on mitt-work, but that’s another kettle of fish). We could all list tons of guys from any era who were fit to fight all day and night. The thing about exercise science is it changes and goes through phases and people are always convinced that what we (think we) know today makes what we (thought we) knew yesterday obsolete, and that’s just not so. Sugar Ray Robinson ate steak before a fight (as did many of his era) and drank blood drained from the cow/meat ... and he turned out OK. Then it became carbo-loading. I think Manny Steward had it right — whatever the athlete is comfortable with: if he likes McDonald’s hamburgers, don’t get him out of his comfort level and make him load up on pizza or whatever. What I don’t hear a lot about is the mental game. A lot of the greatest fighters were masters of manipulating their opponents into fighting the style the mental master wanted ... whether through taunting or reverse psychology or whatever. Or just messing with their minds. I honestly think Tyson Fury freaked Wlad out with his Batman antic ... WK had no idea what to make of that. Ali and Tyson and Duran and Leonard and so many more came to understand what “boxing is 90 percent mental” means — among equals or near-equals, it’s about who wins mentally.
About a month ago. I just started training this year during summer break, and I'm waiting for a gym to be built near my college dorm, so I've been shadowboxing and doing bagwork at a weightlifting gym, and going to the boxing gym near my familiy's house on break. I'm planning on going to a gym where GGG trained at for winter break
Yesterday. Trying to go there twice a week. No pro's there, though, just amateurs and people, who like me, just work out. I sparr, but it was years since I hit anyone hard to the head. I like to plant a good body shot, though, but only touch to the face. When I sparr those that only have been training (and not for competition) for a few years I get hit now and then with shots they put their all into, because they just can't help themselves. Probably too old to get that riled up by that, though.
George Duke in Vacaville, JLs in Fairfield, Sacramento City in sac, and the Woodland boxing club, also had a boxing coach when I used to do MMA at the Vacaville fight club
