Sporting Thoughts
I'VE BEEN TOLD it took thirty seconds, and I only have two memories of it. One is looking at my coach beforehand and noticing for the first time the odd shape of his nose, the other is standing by the referee at the end as he raised the victor's hand in the air. It was not my hand he was raising.
Apparently the intervening half-minute, during which my opponent knocked me out thoroughly and efficiently, was a pretty sad spectacle. I'm left asking myself "was it worth it?".
The obvious answer is no. Over the last month I've trained nine times a week, eaten almost nothing but celery and lost over a stone. I've come home from training with black eyes and fat lips, neglected my degree completely and given up alcohol. Three mornings a week I've had to be up at dawn, and training leaves me so exhausted that I have to spend Saturdays - my only rest days - in bed. Thirty seconds of pain and humiliation is hardly fair compensation.
Having said that, something tells me I'll be training harder than ever in the five weeks remaining before the Varsity Match. Boxing is curiously addictive, and the risk of having to experience what I did on Friday makes it even more so. Unpleasant as it was, it was also the most exciting thing I've done in a long time and a huge adrenaline rush. Although training for another fight means risking the same embarrassment, the rewards can also be huge and I wouldn't miss it for the world. So yes, it's worth it, and I guess it's another month of celery and black eyes for me.
6th Feb 2003