Gerald McClellan: 'Walking from the locker room to the ring is the scariest feeling'

[Weebler I]

To McClellan, that walk was always the scariest part of boxing.

"Walking from the locker room to the ring is the scariest feeling I ever had in my life," McClellan said once. "I can't explain what that feeling is. It's like I have butterflies, my heart is beating, I'm already sweating, my hands is wet. It's just a really scary feeling.'

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n10186819/

I wonder if all boxers feel this way. McClellan was a mean dude, so if he felt like this, I reckon it's safe to say a lot of boxers do. Anyone here ever been a pro/amateur fight, is the walk-in the worst part?

[krispy kreme]

Nice find, everyone is different, but I think all fighters have some degree of nervousness and/or fear. What amazes me is the way they overcome it.

Reminds me of Cus D'amato's story of the "hero and coward", that Mike Tyson talked about.

[Go Blue]

You gotta see Paul Williams ring walk..........

He smiles the whole time.........he has this look on his face that says" I cant wait to get in there and whoop some ass" lolol

[Suckmedry]

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n10186819/

I wonder if all boxers feel this way. McClellan was a mean dude, so if he felt like this, I reckon it's safe to say a lot of boxers do. Anyone here ever been a pro/amateur fight, is the walk-in the worst part?

In my first few fights, yes, the walk in scared the hell out of me. But so did waiting around and pretty much everything about fighting


Nowadays I'm more confident and relaxed, nothing about fighting scares me anymore and I enjoy it more than anything.

But everyone is different. I know some guys who still get incredibly tense and nervous.

[The Underboss]

Nice find, everyone is different, but I think all fighters have some degree of nervousness and/or fear. What amazes me is the way they overcome it.

Reminds me of Cus D'amato's story of the "hero and coward", that Mike Tyson talked about.

agreed .

[FIGHTING_FLIP]

hell yes..or for me is when i saw the dude i was fighting warming up..but once the bell rings, time to go to work

[Suckmedry]

I know this is off topic, but this is a reason why you really need to have competed or at least trained and sparred to have an understanding of boxing and what fighters go through.

[Weebler I]

You gotta see Paul Williams ring walk..........

He smiles the whole time.........he has this look on his face that says" I cant wait to get in there and whoop some ass" lolol

I've never saw it, I wonder if he really feels that or if he's just putting on a show. Pacquiao's ring-walk is weird as hell, like a WWE match saying hi to all his fans.

I should add the rest of McClellan's quote which probably explained his mindset before going to the ring,

"It's like going to war. You go to war and you win this war, or you go to war and you die in this war. You're not going to return.

"I'm not afraid of being in the ring because it's my job."

[krispy kreme]

I know this is off topic, but this is a reason why you really need to have competed or at least trained and sparred to have an understanding of boxing and what fighters go through.

Which is why some people need to stop with all this **** about fighters being cowards and quitters. Before going to the gym, I used to be nervous all the time, but after a while I got used to it. Problem is I am lazy as hell.

[Suckmedry]

Which is why some people need to stop with all this **** about fighters being cowards and quitters. Before going to the gym, I used to be nervous all the time, but after a while I got used to it. Problem is I am lazy as hell.

Exactly. Half, no wait, nearly all the guys saying that **** would piss their damn pants before getting in the ring.

Boxing is something else man. I've even seen guys who were good streetfighters, tough guys who fought on the streets and weren't scared of anyone, completely **** themselves in sparring. Just something about boxing, the guaranteed one on one nature and the only person who will intervene is the ref or doctor if you are getting beaten up, just intimidates the hell out of people.