Tough Guy at Weightlifting Gym

[fraidycat]

So this guy at my weightlifting gym saw me skipping rope. He asked if I boxed, I said yes, but I was new to it. He said he just got out of the Marines and he "did some boxing" while he was in, "no headgear or nothin', just punching around." He said he has gloves and a mouthpiece and sometime, if I'd like to warm up before lifting, we could go a couple of rounds.

I told him I'm uncomfortable hitting anyone without headgear. He replied, "I'm a Marine. You can't hurt me." He is ten years younger than me and also, by rough estimate, seventeen times bigger than I am. Not boxer big, but corn-fed Nebraska Neanderthal linebacker big. 6'4", 250, most of it shoulders and neck. Big.

I invited him to my boxing gym, but he can't afford it (he's in school and my weightlifting gym has preferential rates for students.) I don't think I should spar him, even "light" (whatever the hell "light" means to an ex-Marine his size) without both of us wearing headgear. He'd allow me to wear mine, but that's not my issue with this.

Edit: He also seems like a genuinely good dude. If he was being an uppity prick about his "skillz," I'd glove up and clobber him.

Thoughts?

[{BrownBomber}]

Nothing wrong with a little friendly sparring.
use him as your measuring stick to where your at.

[Nacho_Analstain]

yea i think u should spar him,the fact he will be wearin no headgear makes up for his size advantage

[75th]

Head gear doesn't do much of anything as far as cushion for punches, in fact for me, it makes certain punches hurt where as they normally wouldn't even enter my mind without head gear.

Head gear is to help prevent cuts.

With that said, I'd spar him.

[Larry Merchant]

Marines can only fight with guns and tanks get ready to own him badly semper ***'s

[75th]

Marines can only fight with guns and tanks get ready to own him badly semper ***'s

You don't know any Marines do you?

[mgkirkpatrick]

if he's a good dude and he only wants a light spar to warm up for his weights i'd say its fine. dance with the man get warm... see what pace he wants..

[RAESAAD]

Army of one PWNS Merchant.......in hasty fashion.

[jumpman_jones]

Are you guys smokin sumtin? sayin headgear doesnt do much it covers your temples. As for him not havin headgear on, since you've enver seen him spar udont know what light sparrin is he may go hard but to him its light you might get angry and go harder land one wrong punch on his head and he gets a concussion(spelling). Both of u should have ehadgear on

[fraidycat]

Hey, let's not diss on the guy.

So, the consensus is, I should spar with the dude and let him set the pace.

I'm learning something new from boxing every day.