"The Brick's" Boxing Career: Is This the Beginning of the End?

ENTRY 270

Another Nail In The Coffin, Could This Be the Beginning of the End ?

Well, I dropped the bomb onto Coach Richard on Monday.

I told him I wanted to rematch Andy Rogonia.
He shit.
I am going to take that as a "no".

I knew there was an underlying reason why I took that loss so badly.
That was my chance to prove to Richard that I was capable of competing. 
To loose so badly put a nail in the coffin for my boxing career.
This was more that just a loss.
Ultimately, it is not a big deal. It is a loss. Losses happen in sports. It is not the end of the world.
To Coach Richard, it is.

Ultimately his decision was that he does not want me to compete any more, right now.
I say 'right now', because Richard has a habit of changing his mind like others change underwear.

Although the regular readers of this column know that I have always felt something "odd" about training at Stockyards.
How about this for being odd: Richard told me on Monday, "Your defence is shit."
That's great, but a bit late isn't it?
After all, if my defence is shit, whose fault is it? Who is supposed to be teaching me that?
I can't always see my faults as an athlete. That is why I have a coach.
These defence drills I have started doing just last week, should have been started months ago. I am sure my defence didn't just become 'shit' since my last bout.
If Richard was aware of that before, he should have worked on it with me, especially in the couple of weeks before my last fight.

The biggest piss off about this is that Andy Rogonia is going to be in the next Stockyards card. His opponent is going to be Leo.
Yes, Leo.
Leo who does fuck all on the once or twice a month he does decide to show up at the gym.

What the hell makes Richard think he is a good opponent for Rogonia?
If I, who busts his butt off can't win against him, Leo sure as hell won't.
Not to be a dick about it, but...it's true.

Right now, I don't know if I will compete again this year, or even next year.
The "deal" was  to get two bouts by the end of the year, as I announced in the summer.
I have had one. Therefore, I am giving it until the beginning of December. By that time I will know if I will be competing for Stockyards on their card on December 5.
If not, I will need to consider another option.
If I need to change boxing gyms, December is the best time to do it, since I also need to renew my registration with Boxing Ontario. It is easier to do both at the same time.

In all honesty, does it really matter what gym is hosting me?
I need to do what is right for me. It is not the Stockyards team that wants me to be a boxer. Richard is not the one who wants me to be a boxer. Actually, I think he doesn't want me to box. It is I who wants to compete in boxing. Therefore, I have to do what is right for me in order to pursue my dreams.

I still want to do the charity events and exhibitions, but I don't need to go through Richard for those. I can apply directly to the hosting club of the event. As long as I have Boxing Ontario certification.

If I do change gyms, I have three in mind.
If I 'defect' away from Stockyards, I will become a 'traitor'. Therefore, I have to make this decision very carefully.
The good side about that is, I know I will have opponents.
There are at least two guys from Stockyards I could fight, and I may still be able to rematch Rogonia.
It would be like starting over. I would have to prove myself to the new coach first,
For the month of November, I will remain at Stockyards, and work very hard on defence, and continue with working on 'combat' (hard punching) skills.

Fuck My Life.

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"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 4 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"