To All Who Have Entered the Square Circle

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Quick story... about three years ago i was in the gym and this huge guy (maybe 6 ft 3, 250 pounds) who did some type of MMA was there and he wanted to spar me. I am 5 ft. 10, about 180. So I said OK and we sparred... I was moving around keeping my hands up etc. and at one point I landed a quick, but light, right hand that caused him to stop briefly and shake his head, saying he was dizzy. It surpised even me because I didnt hit him with anywhere near my besy shot and, like I say, he was a big guy who had fought in MMA type events before against guys his size. So we get done boxing and he never touched my face even once and, really, the sparing was as easy as boxing with a 12 year old boy. A few weeks later I am on AOL and some guy IM'sme and tells me he knows who I am, he is a big boxing fan etc and he knows a guy that sparred with me once. It was this guy that was 250 pounds. I honestly expected him to say something like the guy ****** me up or something but he told me "Yeah, Keith told me that he couldnt believe how easily you were able to hit him and how he couldnt touch you even once."

[K-DOGG]

Quick story... about three years ago i was in the gym and this huge guy (maybe 6 ft 3, 250 pounds) who did some type of MMA was there and he wanted to spar me. I am 5 ft. 10, about 180. So I said OK and we sparred... I was moving around keeping my hands up etc. and at one point I landed a quick, but light, right hand that caused him to stop briefly and shake his head, saying he was dizzy. It surpised even me because I didnt hit him with anywhere near my besy shot and, like I say, he was a big guy who had fought in MMA type events before against guys his size. So we get done boxing and he never touched my face even once and, really, the sparing was as easy as boxing with a 12 year old boy. A few weeks later I am on AOL and some guy IM'sme and tells me he knows who I am, he is a big boxing fan etc and he knows a guy that sparred with me once. It was this guy that was 250 pounds. I honestly expected him to say something like the guy ****** me up or something but he told me "Yeah, Keith told me that he couldnt believe how easily you were able to hit him and how he couldnt touch you even once."

Once again, proof positive of the "art and science" of boxing. It ain't getting in there and "goin' at it" like with some guy who pisses you off in a bar or at a sporting event.

Props to ya Scully, you were at the pinacle; and no one can take that away from ya. ...and don't forget to let us know when your book is finished. I want one of the first copies.

[j]

iceman, i'm guessing stand-up fighting may have not been a big part of his game. that, or you just completely outclassed him.

i sparred(boxing style) once with a guy with nearly the exact dimensions that your mma guy was, and he wasn't able to hit me neither. he had a huge reach advantage against me and a good 6" or so hieght on me as well as over a 50 lb weight advantage. what i found odd, was, that punches to the breadbasket worked surprisingly well against the big guy. i wouldn't think they would, obviously.

one of the keys to fighting the big guys, i found, was to be very mobile and use 30 to 40 degree entries on them. most of the time, the smaller guys a quicker, which can be a huge advantage if you know how to use it.

[The Coagulator]

Hey Iceman...thanks for the thoughts...

I have seen this same exact story play out dozens of times over the years in my gym... (not that you thought this), but guys come in the gym all the time and think they can box. They are tough, in good shape, they got hands in the street etc. Uusally we just let them spar, get tired and take them out. But for the particularly ****y ones we sometimes let them feel a little something to remember us by. ANYBODY who thinks they can come off the street with no experience and last in a ring is NOT thinking straight. The smart ones, like the coagulator, realize the truth and respect it

the funny thing is that I knew going in I was in trouble..lol..I wasnt ****y or a smartass or nothing I just truely wanted to see what it was like...and a lesson for a lifetime...and thank God I wasnt down at Kronk or with people who didnt care about me...these people I consider my friends...and I am very appreciative of that...best part is..if someone does come in without experience and wants to go...I get to watch them get their ass handed to them this time...I am amazed at what it must take to be able to handle 200 shots to the body in one night from someone who really wants to hurt you bad...let alone the 200 more to the head...I imagine most fighters regardless of weight class could knock me or any "average man" out with just a glancing blow...now more than ever...MY PROPS TO ANYONE TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING OR BECOMING A CHAMP in the ring...you are all better men that me.....and I give this credit where it is due...to the Warriors...as a side note, I dont think I will ever call any fighter a "bum" again.....

[The Coagulator]

I believe it...whole heartedly...

Quick story... about three years ago i was in the gym and this huge guy (maybe 6 ft 3, 250 pounds) who did some type of MMA was there and he wanted to spar me. I am 5 ft. 10, about 180. So I said OK and we sparred... I was moving around keeping my hands up etc. and at one point I landed a quick, but light, right hand that caused him to stop briefly and shake his head, saying he was dizzy. It surpised even me because I didnt hit him with anywhere near my besy shot and, like I say, he was a big guy who had fought in MMA type events before against guys his size. So we get done boxing and he never touched my face even once and, really, the sparing was as easy as boxing with a 12 year old boy. A few weeks later I am on AOL and some guy IM'sme and tells me he knows who I am, he is a big boxing fan etc and he knows a guy that sparred with me once. It was this guy that was 250 pounds. I honestly expected him to say something like the guy ****** me up or something but he told me "Yeah, Keith told me that he couldnt believe how easily you were able to hit him and how he couldnt touch you even once."

I couldnt touch my guy...the only reason I got him up against the ropes was in hindsight, I think he let me, cuz he knew I was tired, and he could give me one little shot to the bread basket and I was through...I cant tell you how much more I respect these guys today...I described it to my dad this way...ya' know how you respect your mom because she is a woman, and you respect your wife because she is too, but as soon as you see a woman deliver a baby, that respect level goes to a whole new level, almost like Mount Everest level...thats what it was like for me on Saturday at the gym...the only time I will enter those ropes again...is to work my skills, what I am good at, contribute in my own way, and that is not SPARRING! Please dont see this a ballsucking fighters cuz thats not my intent...I know a lot of fighters dont deserve my respect outside the ring based on how they handle themselves...but for inside the ring...there is one credential you must have...warrior courage! And that is what I salute!

[JuicyJuice]

I remember my first time sparring when I was 14, I'd been training for a couple of years trying to be like Nigel Benn and Mike Tyson who I had saw on BBC boxing (Benn's amateur fights, Tyson's early pro fights), I honestly genuinely thought that I would knockout everybody my age with ease. I'd won a few street fights, I could whack the pads well and looked like a dude when I was shadow boxing, but when I got in the ring with this younger kid (who'd had a few amateur bouts) and my first hook missed and was countered with three or four punches it broke my heart. My adrenalin stopped running because I was embarassed and distraught that I wasn't this world-beater I'd built myself up to be in my mind, and I swung for all I was worth but got picked off with ease, and this was a 13-year-old kid but the shots hurt like **** because my adrenalin had stopped running due to my broken heart. I soon trunched out of the ring in a sulk and walked home with head down and hating the physical pain... I'd sparred about 90 seconds.

[The Coagulator]

absolutely...

....That's a great story. At least you got to experience a little bit of what it takes first hand. It will give you grater appreciation for what you do and what you see in the ring.

It was an eye dropper full and that is all I needed..LOL...

[The Coagulator]

your very...

excellent post!!!
thanks for sharing the experience!!

welcome...

[JuicyJuice]

I have seen this same exact story play out dozens of times over the years in my gym... (not that you thought this), but guys come in the gym all the time and think they can box. They are tough, in good shape, they got hands in the street etc. Uusally we just let them spar, get tired and take them out. But for the particularly ****y ones we sometimes let them feel a little something to remember us by. ANYBODY who thinks they can come off the street with no experience and last in a ring is NOT thinking straight. The smart ones, like the coagulator, realize the truth and respect it

Honestly, the first time Nigel Benn ever stepped into a boxing ring (with no boxing training behind him) he beat the living daylights out of everybody on his regiments boxing team! He was 17 and had just been thrown in the army to keep him away from streetfighting. I guess he was just a rare exception with ridiculous natural talent.

[The Coagulator]

you are so right....

thanks for sharing. it certainly is interesting when you get your first taste of what sparring or boxing a trained fighter is like. just remember, they all went through the same things too.

from your description, it sounds like you were thinking a bit too much. things like working positioning are best left for working drills.

i'm glad you took it as a learning situation. that's the best way to look at it.

Kinda like when you go golfing...if you think to long or hard on your swing that is when you probably shoot your worst...and what I found in the ring is that I had so many thoughts going through my head, I wasnt watching what he was doing or what I was doing for that matter...It's like I kinda lost my mind in there...there were so many thoughts it paralyzed me...I work with a National Amatuer Champion Coach who trained Anthony "baby" Jones and he looked me dead in the eye and said you werent boxing...you were fighting...