What does boxing mean to you?

[BLASTER1]

Gotta say im just a newbie to the sport but im hooked.
Love the mental toughness and physical strentgh needed to make it in this gladiator square.

[Citizen Koba]

Thanks for the kind words mate. Even though I sound somewhat public school - I did go to one, I suppose - I know Stockport well, I was actually born in Stepping Hill and my dad's from Gorton!

I'm 28 and 183 lbs atm, but if I were to do it again I'd want to get to 165.5 lbs, which is 75kg. The guy I fought on Saturday was about 210lbs - he was overweight so it didn't help him offensively, but it helped him stay up when I landed hard shots., so I definitely want to fight someone my weight next time! He's a slightly better chess player than me, about 170/175 ECF (2000 elo for any non-UK guys) and I'm about 160/165 ECF (1900-1950 elo). What about you?

EDIT: I'm based in London, and amazingly there are actually dedicated chessboxing sessions every week at Islington ABC

Ha ha - s'alright, man. I was a scholarship kid at Manchester Grammar before I took myself off to Hulme when I was 17 to live in squats and start the revolution...

And, yeah, I withdraw my comment about being able to beat you at chess- sorta - I maxed out around 160 as a kid, and though I haven't kept up with my ranking I strongly doubt it would be higher now... still, I always enjoy playing even when I do get my ass kicked and I ain't one to turn down a challenge.

EDIT: And I'm 5'11" and just about bang on 175 - pretty good shape for an older dude, cept 30 years of smoking (I just gave up last year with the birth of my youngest) and bad behaviour have left my stamina ummm.. a work in progress. Oh yeah, and both my boys were born at Stepping Hill too, man.

[gingerbreadman]

Ha ha - s'alright, man. I was a scholarship kid at Manchester Grammar before I took myself off to Hulme when I was 17 to live in squats and start the revolution...

And, yeah, I withdraw my comment about being able to beat you at chess- sorta - I maxed out around 160 as a kid, and though I haven't kept up with my ranking I strongly doubt it would be higher now... still, I always enjoy playing even when I do get my ass kicked and I ain't one to turn down a challenge.

EDIT: And I'm 5'11" and just about bang on 175 - pretty good shape for an older dude, cept 30 years of smoking (I just gave up last year with the birth of my youngest) and bad behaviour have left my stamina ummm.. a work in progress. Oh yeah, and both my boys were born at Stepping Hill too, man.

Ha, I prefer the coward's way out of undermining the system from within.

You'd probably take some games off me, quickplay chess is a massive crapshoot! Have a watch of the fight (about 20mins in) - we're both pretty crap at boxing, I'm the slightly less crap ginger one. Utterly surreal that my first fight was in front of 300ish people.

EDIT: Crap, forgot the link! https://www.twitch.tv/videos/276706040