Just started sparring again at my gym and was doing some with a lad who was really quite good (had 15 fights or so). So we start off and he is just tapping but I have sparred before when I was younger so was happy to go in a bit harder. Catch him with a few decent jabs and then he takes offense and really lays into me, hooks, body shots etc. Happy with that as I get it was his way of saying, you hit me, i'll hit you etc. But then he just kept going, laying in really hard and wouldnt back off even in the next round, so I start fighting back hard...like I say he can box rings round me so has to tie him up and fight close but I was also catching him with some decent shots. I really enjoyed it but afterwards he was sore about it and took offense to it all (seems silly because he knocked me about quite badly). Question is how do I spar with this guy when he is so much better and if I do catch him he essentially takes it as a 'insult' and lays it on me hard? Do I talkl to this guy about it or just make sure I dont throw any good shots? I want to spar with him because he is much better its a great way to develop.
Sounds like good sparring just keep doing what your doing, it's good to have rivalries in the gym, makes you train harder
ha yeah fair enough. Like I say the sparring is good but this guy was trying to take my head off...whats worse is he has the experience to actually do it! You normally find the experience guys happy to work with you - anyways guess I need to keep a tight guard and keep moving my head
If the other guy is just tapping you should respect that and do the same, that is why he got pissed at you, I would have to. You want to go harder ask if its ok don't just starting banging the other guy, he might have reasons for wanting a light spar that you don't know about, also if he thinks you are less experienced and he is respecting that by taking it easy on you and you repay that by in his eyes trying to take advantage then yeah that is going to **** anyone off.
Very good points. I had a friend who I'll admit is probably a better boxer than I am as well as weighing 50lbs more than me. Whenever we tried to spar it always got out of hand and we'd end up wobbling each other and the trainer would stop it after one or two rounds. We'd have headaches the rest of the day. I don't know what it was, but normal sparing just couldn't happen due to pride or something.
Yeah in hind sight this is 100% right...at the time though I was just not thinking like this and obviously escalated...though I did say at the start after I caught him...'was that to hard' and he looked pissed said no and then went to town... so I think he was a bit brattish in that respect and should have just given me a heads up since he has a lot of experience and I didnt - anyway lesson learned on my part and was good sparring anyways - if not painful ha
sounds like a good sparring session for both ....MATE...keep at it, and don't worry about impressing the opponent but getting your work and respect....above all respect
Where was the Gyms's coach or trainer. No supervision ????? It shouldnt be permitted. Sparring should be constructive --- hard or light. Attitude like what was displayed has no business in a boxing gym.
seriously, that sounds like good sparring. the only way to spar with these types of cats is the way you already are. dont hold back. obviously dont go for the kill if you hurt him but from my experience in this situation its kill or be killed. eventually they will respect you
Sparring should be constructive, if he's actually beating on new guys to impress himself then he'll be exposed for being a ****. Spar others if it becomes uncomfortable. You just need to not get butt hurt over it, get more experience fighting and sparring. Save your words for later when you've been around a bit. sometimes sparring gets too rough, it's not unusual. maybe you might learn a few things from it
Cheers for the comments guys. I think it was prob more my fault and just mis read the situation a bit which since I haven't been for a while is a fair mistake to make. Even though it was hard I did learn from it and he caught me with a few really solid body shots and head shots - took them well...so always nice to have a chin check I guess ha
You get what you give out. The harder you hit, you'll get hit even harder. That's the way of the gym. Don't take it personal. That's just how it is.
At my gym, the coach would of rectified that situation. Obviously there is no supervision in your gym.
