I was once a professional boxer, that’s means I got paid for fighting. Paid to perform.
In this time I practised in the true art of boxing. was no world champion, no super star. In fact I was a novice pro, a preliminary fighter, but climbed through them ropes, have been under them bright lights and have been on TV.
I’ve been the hammer, been the nail, that means I had some losses. I’ve also been flat on my back been knocked out, but won some fights as well – well won as many as I lost.
A fight can end in tears or end in joy, fights can end flat on your face, on your back looking up, the referee saying you’re done, or can end likewise for your opponent.
You could think that your hand should of been raised, but usually after the fight if you look in the mirror and ask the person looking back at you which hand should of been raised, usually that person doesn’t lie.
A fight can end with many people in your dressing room, or your dressing room being so quite that you could hear a pin drop.
Some say boxing is a dirty corrupt business, people call it the red light district of sport, it is what it is depending on how you want to look at it.
Capitalism plays a big part in the pro boxing world, a very small percentage of boxers are making a lot of money – the rest make very little in reality.
Also together with my brother I have promoted boxing events, I’ve trained people, both personal training clients and fighters.
My brother was a pro fighter and in the later part of his career I was his manager and promoter, together as a team my brother myself and his trainer put ideas together, unitised his skills, his potential and marketability to help gain him a world rating.
I have been involved in pretty much every aspect of the boxing game, in truth.
Whilst promoting I was also still fighting and my line of work has made me come to know a fair few people in my time.
I’d say to people come and watch the fights, some people would say are you fighting?
I would say no my brother is, they’d than say I’m only interested if your fighting. This indicated to me that boxing has become a popularity contest.
It’s not about how good you are, it’s how many tickets you can sell. So few people come to watch the fights because they like boxing, they only come if they know someone that’s fighting.
For the future of professional boxing I believe to continue there has to be a way to get the general population to appreciate what a fine art the hardest sport in the world is.
Because at the moment, it’s all about a quick fix mentality of one show at a time.
Boxing has made me come to learn many things that can be carried into life, things like management skills, administration skills, marketing skills, event management skills, dealing with people, staying calm and relaxed in high pressure situations.
It makes you become aware and in touch with your emotions, teaches you how to control & hide your emotions, teaches you motivation, confidence, dedication, discipline, respect, fitness, how to lose weight, nutrition and how to go without food for extended periods of time trying to get down to your weight division.
When you are in that ring under them lights in that battle zone, there is nowhere to hide – nowhere to run. It’s just you and one other person.
That other person is there to hurt you, there to break you, break your spirit your heart, there to make you unconscious.
You have to be aware in a state of complete relaxed concentration, complete control of yourself your body, your mind.
You can die in a pro boxing ring. Sadly, people have died in the ring. It doesn’t happen often, however it has happened.
Fortunately for me I’m from Australia, so never have had to fight to eat. Some people in other parts of the world boxing is there only way out of poverty.
Being a fighter was a choice for me, I made enormous wealth but when I say wealth I don’t mean money. I mean a wealth of experience, a wealth of knowledge and willingness to always learn something knew.
The buzz you get when you get in that ring is unexplainable and that unexplainable feeling, that buzz you get, is what makes a fighter get in that ring again.
