Winners Mentality

By Neil Perkins

There is a fine line between competing and winning. Having coached boxers at all levels from recreational to professional, the mindset of a person will very often dictate the outcome of a contest. I am talking about boxing, although I am sure this transcends to other sports and all aspects of life.

The world needs competitors so that we can assess where we stand in the pecking order of life. As humans we have evolved to compete, I am aware that despite been retired from boxing, I am still very much a ‘fighter’ – if someone tries walking past me in the street, I treat it as a race.

Boxing is the most primal sport of all. Competing in boxing for most indicates a massive personal achievement. Having guided over 350 people through this process I have seen many people learn to compete. Competition is about going through the process of preparation (training), battling the nerves in the build-up, showing up and giving an account of yourself and achieving the goal of competing. Competing itself is an achievement, the very fortunate will win on skill alone and will beat someone with a ‘winners mentality’ who lacks the necessary technical ability (‘coasters’ I call them) – Rocky was a falsify and wouldn’t have happened in real life. The exceptional have the winners mindset and sporting/ athletic talent. The mentality of winning is about the time in life when you must show your soul!

Winning is something that someone does at all costs, who refuses to lose and will go and go again. A winner will push beyond their comfort zone, not make excuses and will push on, a competitor is happy to have competed. Sports like ‘CrossFit’ show the mentality of winners and the ‘balls to the wall’ mentality needed to compete. I admire CrossFit athletes for their desire to push, but equally emphasise that they couldn’t succeed in a real sport (Crossfiters you can take that as a back handed compliment) I have lost count of the number of times I have looked at a boxer either at the weigh in, backstage before a contest, prior to the opening bell or during the contest and watched them switch from a ‘winner’ to a ‘competitor’ – equally I have also seen ‘competitors’ become ‘winners’ either down to exceptional coaching intervention or a pivotal point in a sporting contest – that bit of luck.
As coaches we look at our athletes at all levels and look how we can implement a winner’s mentality. Equally how we can stop our athletes talking themselves out a programme, fight or lift – ensuring they believe they can win and instilling that winner’s mentality. I have the joy of working with a talented coaching team I can recall the numerous occasions we have one rep max tested someone in Barbell Club and very often found they’ve added 20,30 or 40kg to a lift, only for the coach to come back and say, ‘there was more in them!’

Our white-collar boxing shows are some of the best matched shows I have seen (biased opinion I know) The theatre of putting two well matched individuals in an environment outside of their comfort zone and matching them up against each always brings excitement. I liken it the film ‘Trading Places’, but as opposed to the two Wall Street stockbrokers seeing if the street kid can survive in their world, I take the Wall Street stockbrokers and see if they can compete in mine. All of them compete and we have had occasions (more than one) where one has had to show their soul – the winners mentality.

Boxing Examples of Winners Mentality
Top athletes can sense this themselves and in boxing a refer to it as the ‘Fuck you’ mentality.

Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko was great example of this – wobbled, out on his feet and in danger of been beaten. AJ’s account of thinking to himself ‘you don’t want this more than me’ as he sat on his stool. He went on to knock Wlad out.

Lennox Lewis v Vitali Klitschko was an epic contest. Out jabbed, getting caught and out boxed. Lennox used one of his most overlooked assets – bravery and desire to win. He went toe to toe with Vitali, walking through solid jabs with the belief that the opponent would be stopped when he connected. Lewis was relentless.

Carl Froch v Jermaine Taylor. Froch never lost the belief that he could win this contest and trailing the contest got nearer the opponent and let barrages of punches go to force the stoppage.

The above three have a superb winners mentality, I believe that exceptional coaches (not athletes) can not only influence an athlete’s technical ability, but their mindset. Learning triggers responses and how to influence events are key in the coach’s arsenal. In a sporting contest, that ‘bit of luck’ can change the outcome of a contest, equally a tactical intervention or ‘whisper in the ear’ can see an athlete go from the mindset of ‘competitor’ to ‘winner’. Here are three of my favourite examples of coaching interventions…

Angelo Dundee. Sugar Ray Leonard v Tommy’s Hearns – ‘You’re blowing it son’, the influencial words of Angelo who rallied his man to the cause. A good talking to and Leonard comes out like a new man and stops Hearns to win the contest.

Kevin Sanders. Nigel Benn v Gerald Mclenan – ‘You’ve got him Nigel’ Overlooked due to the catastrophic outcome of the contest. Nigel Benn ‘the dark destroyer’ and been outgunned and knocked through the ropes in the opening round by the hyped American and one of the most feared ‘punchers’ on the planet. As he gingerly sat on his stool with wobbly legs Sanders in the corner wasn’t offering sympathy or defensive advice – ‘You’ve got him Nigel, his legs are gone, and he’s fucked, go out there and give it him’ Benn describes how he went from feeling trepidation and the worst fear in his life and in seconds had transformed to him saying to himself ‘wait till your feel one of mine’. Saunders re-ignited Benn’s natural ‘Fuck You’ mentality for a sensational comeback.

Teddy Atlas. Tim Bradley v Brandon Rios – ‘We are fireman’ A strange speech which had clearly been echoed through the strategy of fight camp. If you see how the boxer responds well to the ‘we are fireman speech’, watch the eye contact and relationship between the two – it surged Bradley to victory.

“The fire’s coming. Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen!” Atlas exclaimed. “The heat doesn’t bother us; we live in the heat. We train in the heat.”

The winner’s mentality must exist in all top-level competitors. It was Muhammed Ali that once said
Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They must have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”

Equally another great quote if from Teddy Atlas again. This sums up the difference between competitors and winners.

“There comes a time in a man’s life when he makes a decision to just live, survive, or he wants to win. You’re doing just enough to keep him off of you and hope he leaves you alone. You’re lying to yourself because you’re gonna cry tomorrow. You’re lying to yourself and I’d lie to you if I let you get away with that,”

Learning to lose

by Neil Perkins

‘If you carry on you won’t end up getting hurt, you’ll be permanently damaged’

I still hear the words of my old trainer Paul Gough ringing through my ears. It was after what turned out to be my last competitive sparring session with a seasoned pro. The blood flooding out of my broken nose masked the hole on my chin that an uppercut had caused by pushing my teeth through my lip. This enabled me to spar a further two rounds, although I was aware what had happened I didn’t inform my trainer in the hope I could rectify my disastrous start to the spar. The hole required six stitches and caused some very awkward meetings when describing how the wound had occurred, especially when you are looking to promote boxing as a safe sport.

I had daddy issues, step dad issues and some other issues. Like many angry young men when I found my way into a boxing gym, I found somewhere to channel my energy. My formative years made me experience frustration, rage and anger that still flows through me to this day. Some people find god, I found boxing.

In my newfound church, like with any religious sect there is always a leader – that is what Paul Gough was to me. He taught, nurtured and developed my talents – not only making me a better boxer, but a better person.

The journey I had gone on to this point was remarkable in itself, somewhat of transformation from the boy who wouldn’t go on school trips because he didn’t like been away from home or who wouldn’t have his TB jab because he didn’t like needles – somewhat of an issue as a doctor has you laid back on a chair whilst stitching your face back together. If you were to ask friends from school is I would ever box, they would be surprised at the outcome – 21 amateur fights, 18 wins, 1 international call up (which I never took), 2 midlands titles and a national finalist. Considering I had two shoulder surgeries that kept me out for a combined 18 months my amateur career wasn’t too bad? I couldn’t deadlift 200kg, I wasn’t explosive, athletic or had natural movement – my asset was my determination – I think Paul Gough did a pretty good job? The pro journey although short lived was memorable, in hindsight I was in the wrong weight division, but I enjoyed my short career. Chief sparring partner for Big John Mcdermott for his fight with Tyson Fury – a fight most of the boxing world thought he won was an insightful 68 rounds where I earnt every penny. The ‘angry’ Cuban Mike ‘the rebel’ Perez who held 5 world junior amateur titles and accrued an impressive 358 wins out of 372 contests was keen to show the members and staff of Fighting Fit City Gym that he could knock me out in a 6-round spar. He unloaded that many shots on me in the first five of scheduled six rounds that he was knackered, and I started to push him back and won the last round. Mike called me the hardest man he’d ever sparred, a compliment I’ll take to the grave. I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman and a miss understood character who I share a trait of not learning when to shut my mouth – Big Tyson Fury, a man who to this day still makes a beeline for me and shakes my hand and offers to buy me a drink at every boxing event I have seen him at since, he also tries starting a fight with security as he’s telling them I’m coming to sit ringside with him! And then there was the plethora of top class sparring partners I met whilst sparing with David Haye preparing him for his world title win against Nikoli Valuev – that is a book in itself.

My loss to Danny Hughes in Prizefighter was hard to take, the calibre of opponents who had detonated on my chin had never done that to me and the sensational knockout viewed by 6 million viewers was bad enough, but ‘Knockouts of 2009’ placing it at number three in knockouts of the year ensured it was re-run continually over the festive period for those that missed it. My desire for a return in 2011 ended in with a terrible spar to a novice amateur who pinged me from pillar to post, in 2012, I needed one last go. This time I threw myself into the deep end at open sparring at Eroll Johnson’s pro gym, no coach and self-trained I thought I’d see if I could exercise my demons. There I met Fraizer Clarke who on the first spar I got the better of. I’d like to think it was the nurturing I gave him, but the GB super heavyweight improved every time I made the trip over to Burton to ‘move around’ with him – he went from been the student to the master. Initially when I contacted Paul Gough after 3 months of secret training, he was impressed. As the plan for the plan of attack of five fights with the end goal of a British Cruiserweight title now in possession of Shane Mcphibin who I’d beat as an amateur and employed as a sparring partner as a pro. The reality was plane to see when I progressively moved up in levels that I would struggle to cope with that level of operator. My desire to win would ultimately be my downfall. Upon finishing the stitching, I asked the Doctor how long before I could spar again? I already had a date planned for my comeback.

My talk with Paul Gough was hard to take. Paul had seen me evolve, my setbacks and my triumphs. The inevitability for every boxer is that they will one day lose and if you stay at the gambling table too long, you’ll lose all of your winnings. Some losses your can bounce back from, they make you stronger and galvanise you, but the ultimate decision must be taken with a risk to reward ratio – in reality, I could have ended up damaged. Losing is something everyone fears, the moments of reflection at the end of a defeat is only bad in your mind – boxing teaches you to rely on you, yourself and I and the fear of ‘what might be’ is worse than the reality. Even with a hole in my face, I took solace in my attempted comeback of 2012, the journey was remarkable in itself. By facing your fears and tackling your demons head on you realise that nothing is as big as its reputation and you chop down any tree one swing at a time. By learning when to step away from the sport, you are not cowering away, you are simply looking for another tree to chop down or going back with a bigger axe, that is one of the lessons in life that the sweet science of boxing has given me.

The love of coaching

By Neil Perkins

I am entering the final few days of preparation for three boxers who I have been diligently getting ready for their upcoming white collar boxing contest’s. This trio have become like surrogate children for the last 10 weeks as I have had thoughts about them, their training and their contest every day. My role is somewhat unique when preparing white collar boxers for a contest. I am the promoter and the trainer – somewhat of a conflict? For those who surround me, I never like to match ‘my boxers’ in what is perceived as an ‘easy bout’ and instead prefer to corner the underdog – it makes the victories far better.

This trio is somewhat diverse – I have the oldest average age of any team on the show. ‘The Badger’ Richard Willets from nine to five runs the courts in the city centre has been dubbed the badger by his opponent, testament to his vicious attacks. ‘The badger’, suits him down to the ground – he is happy in his own company, doesn’t suffer fools and can be a little cantankerous. At 49 he is one-year shy of 50, but not the oldest in the ‘2-Time Team’. Punter Southall’s Andrew Constantinou plans pensions as a day job and at 51, he should really know better? He should be planning his own retirement, but instead is battling on in a bout that is set to be cracker against the 8-bout (the most of any participant) veteran Matt ‘The Warhorse’ Davies. Hannah Wood works for the Arena Birmingham (former Barclaycard and NIA) and this shy character is the last person you’d ever envisage boxing, her knitting backstage prior to her first contest is testament to her unsuitability to the most brutal of sports.

I have to pinch myself at what I do for a living sometimes. Training and promoting events where people knowingly sign up for three rounds of combat in-front of a baying crowd in a gladiatorial arena. If the truth be told, I am fortunate (and a little surprised) that such successful and intelligent people sign up and follow me on these foolish quests and more importantly trust my judgement to guide them through this process. I am honoured to work with all three – they are inspirational for their own reasons. These three combatants are not first timers – they are all returning to the ring having boxed prior.

Andy and Badger share similar stories of joining the gym as an alternative way to get fit and progressing through beginners intro sparring ad then deciding to take the plunge to box on a show – Hannah I witnessed her transformation a lot more closely. Now if Hannah’s story was that of the caterpillar that went into a cocoon and came out a beautiful butterfly, the journey hasn’t been quite so simple. The caterpillar went into the cocoon, came out, stomped back in slamming the door behind her, cried for 30 minutes and came out again before repeating the process several times – we now have a butterfly that occasionally has panic attacks and threatens to stop flapping his wings and fall to the ground – she is a challenging client.

Hannah’s first session at then Fighting Fit City Gym still lives in my memory. There was some confusion as my Front of House had booked her in for an intro session with me – something that shouldn’t have happened and something I wasn’t aware of. I carried on and delivered the session. For those of you who have ever met ‘Bad Hannah’ the confusion caused her some upset – her face said it all. Hannah is not one that hides her emotions well and as I have come to know her, the lack of structure and order must have sent her mind into overload? A good recovery and the joy of punching recovered the session and by the end, she was hooked. The desire for self-improvement and challenge with her is huge, she secretly relishes challenges and her best asset is that she hates losing – no stone will be left unturned and she is a meticulous perfectionist. In her next contest she has her biggest task to date, and big by the fact that the opponent will be four KG heavier and five inches taller. This is a big physical obstacle to overcome. For her first contest against a shorter marauding opponent, I nicknamed Hannah’s fighting style as ‘the rabbit’ – she would run into the acres of space her superior footwork would give her before firing long-range counters, against this taller opponent her natural fleet feet and footwork will not win her the contest – she needs to fly into the eye of the storm. A polar opposite to the tools that have served her so well in her short pugilist career.

The Badger v The Pelican is a contrasting bout and a great clash, but for my fighter the plan is similar. Richard Willets has arms like a T-rex, where as his opponent stands several inches taller and has long arms that through raking shots – the badger needs to get close and get nasty. On the way in he risks been hit with punishing shots and at 20 years older than his opponent he is giving away every natural asset.

With Badger and Hannah, I have two boxers that the general consensus would consider my boxers the underdog – that is how I like. Andy v Matt Davies is a real 50/50 fight, in this contest I have the advantage of working with a boxer who has superior height and reach – these assets are great to use on Olympic scoring. There is a reason why Matt Davies is dubbed ‘The Warhorse’ in his ninth contest he is incredibly fit, technically sound and has the guile to fight it out with anyone – we don’t anticipate this will be easy.

All three have diligently prepared, they have taken onboard coaching and made necessary adjustments to their boxing – and most importantly executed them in sparring. They have been a pleasure to work with and it has been good to watch them evolve. I look to establish my business and work ‘on’ rather than ‘in’ my business, but the lure of training someone for fight night will always be a rollercoaster that I will always want to get on – I am addicted to the fight.

I am nervous for them as I am excited, I know what these bouts mean to all three of them. They have brought me much joy and productive time preparing them for their contests. To watch them evolve and prepare has been a huge pleasure, if they execute what I know they are capable of doing then I am confident that they can do themselves proud, all three re-ignited my love of coaching. Team 2-Time coaching for the last time……until the next time.

Boxing, my meditation

By Neil Perkins

Nothing compares to boxing. I am sure other combat sports such as MMA and Muay Thai give the combatants the same inner peace? I am not talking about the boxing workout of bag work, skipping and fitness drills, I am talking about sparring, fighting and combat. Recently as part of my self-development I have been listening to pod-casts and reading books, this is a desire to become a better version of myself. My downfall is sometimes I am so obsessed with getting ‘there’ that I fail to take stock of my achievements and also don’t necessarily ‘plan my route’ to success as I charge forward….or sometimes I forget where I’d actually like to be – my mind is always ‘busy’.

Combat offers me peace, it is the one place in the world I feel completely at ease. As an early teen I was petrified of violence, in my early 20’s I was fronting some of the most troublesome nightspots and by my mid 20’s I was trading punches with the most destructive punching boxers on the planet – a somewhat cataclysmic transformation. In my experiences, I have found that combat no-longer causes me fear, rather it gives me definitive focus.

Back to my current self-development and looking at the tools of successful people and there is one thing I am struggling to comprehend – a clear mind. I am aware that my goals would be more defined, my route would be better, and I would become more successful if my mind was clearer and less ‘busy’. Meditation is commonly used. The ability to ‘zone out’ and think about nothing is a powerful tool, and I like many other people really struggle to switch my ‘monkey mind’ off. I realise that during my early years at Fighting Fit (2008/2009) I was less stressed than I became from 2010-2016. My decision making inevitably became better with business acumen, but my clarity, stress and direction was better early on, recently I have understood why.

In 2008/09 I was boxing professionally, whilst running a new business. Admittedly, I was a little naïve to the depth of the task in-front of me, but I could switch off from it – how I ask myself? I had no choice but to. My dual career saw me regularly sparring with some of the most dangerous men in the world. Many people who run businesses or have stressful careers struggle to switch off from their work and the mountains of tasks they have to perform? When your driving to London to spar a world champion you have no other option but to concentrate about what you are about to do and during the 6,9, 12 or 48 minutes of combat time, one mistake could get you seriously hurt. Equally, ‘shit or bust’ and relying on your ‘monkey mind’ wouldn’t enable you to survive with a novice amateur boxer, yet alone a world champion. The only thing you can concentrate on is what is in-front of you – you need a definitive focus. After the event of sparring and competition my mind had been cleared – a bit like when you clean your house or desk from top to bottom – it is incredibly rewarding and refreshing. No other training has ever replicated this sense of escapism and release – it gave me inner peace. Even now, when I ‘work out’ business, work, debt and family are never far from my mind. Working out alone doesn’t do it for me and I am struggling to get full clarity even when I meditate.

When I do manage to have moments of clarity my objectives and targets are simplified. Switching off your mind gives it clarity – this is something boxing always enabled me to do – boxing was my meditation. I realise that for me that boxing is something I can’t do forever, although I am always willing to help out recreational boxers with sparring – providing I am not likely to get damaged. Switching your mind off from the stresses of the world and escapism is a very rewarding experience. That moment of ‘clearing your desk’ of all the clutter in your head gives you a new stating point and a fresh perspective on things. This perspective makes decision making easier. If ever you want to ultimate switch off, take up a combat sport and progress to sparring. Initially your mind will be cloudy and adrenaline filled throughout combat experience, but as you learn to relax it will give you a clarity of mind that you can not explain – make boxing your meditation. You are always welcome in my church.

Part of history

by Neil Perkins

I have become very deep in thought about the direction of my life recently. I think with the acceptance of my official retirement from boxing, my physical condition reducing (although I am back on the comeback) fatherhood, a stressful few years with the launch of a business and approaching 40 I have thought about my ‘direction’ a lot more – Some would call it a mid-life crisis.

What would I describe myself as and more importantly what would others describe me. Well for those of you who know me would probably have one of the following three come to mind?

Lunatic, inappropriate or David Hayes sparring partner.

I am guilty of all those thoughts as it is my actions that have triggered these responses. In the last two years my cortisol levels reached new highs, but now my business is paying bills and out of the financial storm and I have had a little reflect before progressing on – I am entitled to that? This gasp of air after been submerged for two years allowed me to sit and take stock of my achievement’s and direction I am going. This reflection of where I have been, allows me to concentrate on where I am going and more importantly what I would like to do more of.

What do I do for a job? I am a business owner (Henrietta Street Gym), I am events organiser (Fighting Fit Events) and I am a boxing coach – all three are Neil Perkins and my passion runs through the veins of all three. Henrietta Street Gym had less of a direction that Fighting Fit City Gym did, and it ceased to become me, this is something I am rectifying and re-discovering. I understand the Javelin Block intervention for a cool space, but white towels handed out on reception and metal canteen water bottles to appeal to the influx of hipsters in the JQ should never have been my focus, yet unfortunately this was a direction I briefly moved towards. No matter how many tattoos you have on your hands, how much gin you sip or how much coffee you drink, a gym isn’t a place to look cool – it’s a place to work. This ethos is something that is back flowing through our veins and a culture I am going to nurture. I will focus on what I am good at, the fact that we are in a Javelin Block gym that looks the nuts will be a great benefit. I’m worried about getting our training on point, the rest will take care of itself.

This reflection has allowed me some time to think how I evolve my brands. I have the reality and not feeling morbid that one day I will leave this planet. I realise I am in a service industry and my goal is to positively affect as many people as I come into contact with, not to wow them with my reclaimed wood floor, lights form an Indian cargo ship or a recycled lift shaft – my job is to make them fitter, stronger, healthier and more confident than ever before.

The White Collar Boxing shows have always given me some of my fondest memories and I would like to think that of the 348 contest’s we’ve scheduled and the 400+ people who’ve completed this journey under our guidance have had a positive experience? Not just for the memorable night they have been a part of, but the self-challenge of the journey, the camaraderie of the fight camp and the ultimate sense of achievement. I would like to think that everyone who has completed this under our guidance rates it in the top 100 memories of their life.

I think that in continuing to run these events I will continue to be part of some epic nights (and I am not just talking about the after show party) where people can push themselves above and beyond their capability. These boxers aren’t boxing for world titles and there are so many memories I can take from the 35 shows we’ve run. These events will continue to enrich the Fighting Fit Events Brand, Henrietta Street Gym’s unique vibe and Neil Perkins boxing coaches achievements. I have never trained a boxer for a show that has disappointed me, some have under-performed, some didn’t follow instruction and yes some got beat – but I will share five of my favourite memories for cornering a boxer on a show.

Tim Hufton L v Dan Ricardo March’11 on Blood on the Canvas

After an impressive first victory I was happy to train Tim for a bout that many people in the gym thought he was out of his depth with? An expertly executed game plan saw him up at the end of the second round and protecting a lead. He listened to instruction to the letter and I think we were the only two people in the venue who thought he was capable of outboxing Ricardo? Tim had suffered in the build up with a virus and lack of energy ultimately led to his undoing as he couldn’t hold on to his lead in an enthralling last minute of a contest which saw Ricardo turn the tables and go gung ho. Ricardo can box and fight a bit – he also makes a pretty good website.

Julia Sturgess W v Julie Haycock November’13 on Ring Kings

The first lady of Fighting Fit and it was Julie v Julia in our first all-female bout. The actuary was calculated in her approach and ‘Tigger’ Julie Haycock with her BJJ background was the more natural fighter. Julia, like many of my clients wasn’t given an option about boxing – she was told she was doing it. I anticipated a high guard coming at her and not only did Julia adjust her feet well to marauding attacks, the body work was a master stroke that accrued points for a great victory.

Matt Davies W v Ben Mortimer December ’14 on High Voltage

I had the pleasure of preparing Stave Con’s MD ‘The War Horse’ for his rubber match with Mortimer. I didn’t feel a technical approach would work and instead opted to go blow for blow with Mortimer and out hustle the younger man. I was convinced that his opponent would tire and re-enforced the anticipation throughout fight camp. Going into the last round a point down didn’t concern me – I knew this is when his opponent would fade in a high paced contest – a high pace that we’d forced. When it comes to attrition and the desire to win – no one beats the war horse, we just had to bring his opponent down to that style of boxing.

Jenny Thompson W v Natalie Jonson March’17 on Broad Street Brawl

The most educated debut I have seen from any combat athlete – amateur or pro. As a writer on BBC radio 4’s The Archers, Jenny wasn’t your average pugilist. As a coach/ boxer relationship she never questioned instruction or reason, occasionally she moaned that something was ‘dumb’. On fight week, she had a focus that I have never seen from a novice boxer and on fight night warming her up I genuinely felt sorry for her opponent. I’ve seen this before, but also seen it fail when the bell goes. A ram-rod jab was prevalent throughout her contest as she controlled the contest off an educated lead hand.

Richard ‘The Badger’ Willets L v Brindley March’17 on Broad Street Brawl

Giving away 20 years is a big ask for anyone! This task is even harder when your opponent captained the rugby team and has a steely intensity. The battleplan was drawn up and the objective was to step right away from the right hand and drive his opponent backwards. On the opening bell Brindley pushed Badger back with the jab and volleyed concussive shots of his jaw. You can talk about white collar boxing with big ‘over-size’ gloves been safe – but this was venomous and brutal. The onslaught didn’t stop there, I had the towel in my hand throughout and contemplated throwing it in to stop the contest. I did genuinely see something that gave me hope and a bit of kidology in the corner between rounds seemed to resonate ‘You’ve got him Rich, he has punched himself out. Step right and drive him back’ The second round was a much slower pace and towards the end Badger had started to execute the game plan and Brindley was slowing. Eight points down going into the last and it was something that only certain boxers respond to –  the headbut onto the headguard and lots of obscenities – Badger came out like a man possessed. Brindley to his credit resisted folding with the turn of momentum and fired back when he needed to neutralise the scoring attacks and ran for the large part of the last session to win by one point before collapsing at the final bell.