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Another thing about the trainers job is to be able to reach a guy mentally, to be able to know what buttons to push. You have to be able to work with a guy and know how to talk to him. It is not every guy that responds to "Go out and get him!!" Some fighters you can say things like "Man, what are you doing? This man over here... is trying to take food off your table! You gonna' let him do that?"
You would be surprised at how many guys that type of thing works on.
I remember I worked the corner for middleweight Terry Seay when he fought Syd Vanderpool when Syd was young and inexperienced. Terry had about ten fights and was a street guy, a real rugged type of man and boxer. I remember in the corner between rounds against Syd, Terry was showing his fatigue and I said to him "Man, you and I spar ten rounds at a time in the gym and now you are going to sit here and tell me you are tired?? Come on, Terry!" He sat right up, looked me right in the eye, and said "You right, John, you right."
After the next rounds it was still a close fight but Terry likely might not have been able to get the decision had it went to the final bell. I knew what type of guy Terry was and I said to him "Terry look. We're on Albany Avenue now. ("The Ave." is one of the most notorious streets in Hartford) And this kid over here is trying to take your money! Are you going to just let him take your money or what??"
Terry suddenly got this look in his eye, a crazy and very determined look, and he went out with a new and renewed energy and ferociousness and stopped Syd in the very next round with a RELENTLESS attack. Syd didn't lose another fight until about six years later when he dropped a twelve round decision on HBO to Bernard Hopkins in a pretty good fight for the IBF middleweight championship of the world.
With a guy like Terry, that way of corner talking worked. But with me... For me, that was nonsense and didn't work at all. I just wouldn't respond to that type of psychological ploy. Once, back in 1996, I was fighting while my Mother was sick at home in the USA, essentially on her deathbed (she passed away four months later) and my trainer said between rounds "Your mother's at home in her sick bed. She wants you to win this fight and bring this victory home. She's tougher than you! Your mother has more heart than you're showing right now. Do it for her!" And I am sitting there thinking to myself "Come on, man, are you serious right now? My mother couldn't care less about this fight. She doesn't want me here getting hit, she wants me home with her. She wants me to get on a plane and come home. She's dying, man. Don't tell me what she wants as a way to motivate me now."
He meant well in his intentions but that type of thing just never could reach me with the intended results and if anything, I always just saw it as a way of insulting my intelligence.
ICE
You would be surprised at how many guys that type of thing works on.
I remember I worked the corner for middleweight Terry Seay when he fought Syd Vanderpool when Syd was young and inexperienced. Terry had about ten fights and was a street guy, a real rugged type of man and boxer. I remember in the corner between rounds against Syd, Terry was showing his fatigue and I said to him "Man, you and I spar ten rounds at a time in the gym and now you are going to sit here and tell me you are tired?? Come on, Terry!" He sat right up, looked me right in the eye, and said "You right, John, you right."
After the next rounds it was still a close fight but Terry likely might not have been able to get the decision had it went to the final bell. I knew what type of guy Terry was and I said to him "Terry look. We're on Albany Avenue now. ("The Ave." is one of the most notorious streets in Hartford) And this kid over here is trying to take your money! Are you going to just let him take your money or what??"
Terry suddenly got this look in his eye, a crazy and very determined look, and he went out with a new and renewed energy and ferociousness and stopped Syd in the very next round with a RELENTLESS attack. Syd didn't lose another fight until about six years later when he dropped a twelve round decision on HBO to Bernard Hopkins in a pretty good fight for the IBF middleweight championship of the world.
With a guy like Terry, that way of corner talking worked. But with me... For me, that was nonsense and didn't work at all. I just wouldn't respond to that type of psychological ploy. Once, back in 1996, I was fighting while my Mother was sick at home in the USA, essentially on her deathbed (she passed away four months later) and my trainer said between rounds "Your mother's at home in her sick bed. She wants you to win this fight and bring this victory home. She's tougher than you! Your mother has more heart than you're showing right now. Do it for her!" And I am sitting there thinking to myself "Come on, man, are you serious right now? My mother couldn't care less about this fight. She doesn't want me here getting hit, she wants me home with her. She wants me to get on a plane and come home. She's dying, man. Don't tell me what she wants as a way to motivate me now."
He meant well in his intentions but that type of thing just never could reach me with the intended results and if anything, I always just saw it as a way of insulting my intelligence.
ICE
How you been John!?! Personally I like the fact that you are representing Hartford and CT!!! Anyway, I always enjoyed your contributions. Thanks!
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