IโVE had good work from loads of different guys, loads of different guys Iโve sparred, Martin Bakole, heโs pretty known for sparring tough guys, Iโve sparred Frazer Clarke, Iโve sparred them all. Theyโve all given me a little something to think about. Iโm sure I have as well.
Usually Iโve got giants, monsters that Iโm sparring, trying to kill me. Itโs all goodโฆ Sometimes you have to go to war, sometimes youโre just learning.
Without [being on GB] I donโt think I would have been able to have the opportunity to spar Anthony Joshua and all these other guys, learn from that and kick start my career to the professional game.
I was a young kid, I wanted to prove myself do well and do well in the spars. Thatโs all I was thinking about. I didnโt know where it was going to lead to at some points.
Itโs the experience of sharing the ring with him and having that on my resumeโฆ Iโm glad I was able to have those moments, like winning those national junior ABA titles.
I do enjoy it. I love my time in the gym. Moments Iโve been working at since I was a little boy. When I have a bad day Iโll go away and really work on it to make sure I donโt have a bad day again. Bad days count just as much as the good times. Those are the moments when you really have to dig it out. Because you donโt appreciate the good times unless youโve really come through hard times.
A bad day could be in sparring, getting your ass kicked in sparring, itโs not nice at allโฆ Iโve taken a few licks in sparring but eventually I always come back. I dig it out and return the favour. Itโs always fun. Itโs a challenge but Iโm glad. It can make you or break you, that situation.
Youโve got to learn. When you donโt even think youโve got it in you, youโve got to bring it out of you. Thatโs the best possible scenario sometimes, sink or swim. It can make you or break you. I feel like those situations, when youโre put into that sort of scenario you can really, really develop quickly and before you know it youโre unbeatable. Things happen like that.
Itโs known as one of the hardest sports in the world for a reason. I can see that definitely now. From my own experience Iโve had to really, really work on killing myself in the gym.
Ultimately itโs all down to you, you being fit on the night. Some fighters donโt take training seriously. For a pro, itโs different from being an amateur. You donโt have to come to the gym, you can stay at home. You can be lazy. But ultimately you canโt be lazy in boxing. Itโs a vicious sport. You have to be on top of it at all times.
[In terms of motivation] I donโt even think about it like that. Itโs my life. Once you make it into a lifestyle every day, like going to the park for a walk, doing anything, it becomes normal, normal to push yourself or bring yourself close to the point of collapse. I enjoy it.
This is the second part of three part series. Read part one here