Split Happens

SPECIAL ENTRY 

SPLIT HAPPENS

Stockyards once again put on a great card on Saturday.
Although there were only four bouts, they were really good bouts.

Two interesting things happened.
One, this was the first time the main event did not have a Stockyards athlete in it.
Two, every bout ended in a split decision. That is rare.


RESULTS

Ali Najafi (Waterloo) vs. Graham Peckman (Gideon), Ali Najafi won by Split.
Newton Collins (Stockyards) vs. Hansel Espino (Gideon), Newton Collins won by Split.
Shireen Fabing (Kingsway) vs. Sheree McDonald (Cabbagetown), Sheree McDonald won by Split.
Favio Monico-Gallo (Sully's) vs. Karl Hess (Blackeye), Favio Monico-Gallo won by Split.

Since this was a very small card, Metropolis TV will be packaging the entire card as one program.
Post-production is in progress, and is scheduled to be completed by Sunday evening for upload by Monday morning.


BLOG UPDATE, VACATION AND HOLIDAY WEEKEND

There will be no blog entries on June 28 or July 1. This will be the last entry until July 5.
Happy Canada Day weekend everyone.
Happy Independence Day to my U.S. visitors.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"

How Do You Spar In 36 Degrees?

ENTRY 333

SPARRING REPORT

On Monday, the fist day of summer, and the warmest day of the year so far. The temperature clocked in at an amazing 36 degrees. That is 97 F.
It was clearly over 100 in the boxing gym.
I started sweating before I even started warming up.

Coach Richard had me spar four rounds with Newton.
Newton? You mean little, but fast-as-hell, Newton?
Today?
I did it with no problem, and I lost about four pounds in sweat in the process.


LOCKED OUT OF THE BANK ?

Here is an odd story. Actually two odd stories, but are related.

Have you ever been under-paid from work?
Then you know how much of a pain it is to get an adjustment.

Well, here is something different. Last week, I was over-paid.
I was actually paid twice.
When I put the request in to change my payroll deposit from Scotia to TD, somehow they deposited my pay into both accounts.

I didn't actually notice.
Really, I didn't, because it was in two different banks, and my Scotiabank account is abandoned.

Well, payroll noticed soon enough, and wanted the overpayment back.

They would not accept an e-transfer. They wanted a bank draft.
So, in the morning I stopped at the TD at Jane and Bloor on the way home from work.
This branch is supposed to open at 8, but when I got there at 8:05, it was not open.
A person was standing outside, apparently an employee of the branch. He said that they were locked out, and it would take about 30 minutes for someone to unlock it.

Really? How does something like that even happen?
That would mean that every employee would have had to leave without a key.

Wow..and TD likes to boast about customer service.
I have to say that is stellar customer service.
Give TD a J.D. Power award for that service! 

I ended up having to go to the branch at Stockyards on my way to boxing.

Once again, I am going out of my way to fix someone else's mistake.

That's my life.


BLOG UPDATE, VACATION

There will be no blog entries on June 28 or July 1, and no entry the day before the Stockyards' card on June 24. There will be a special 'Fight Night' report blog on June 26.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"

One Year, Really ???

ENTRY 332

SPARRING REPORT

I sparred Oliver's dad for two rounds on Thursday.
He did quite well. It is a real shame that we can't get him any ring time outside of sparring.
Coach Richard wanted to arrange an exhibition between us, but Boxing Ontario said 'no'.
Apparently, there is too much difference in age.
The rule is 10 years difference between boxers for both competition and exhibitions.
In our case, there is 11 years difference.
Really? They are going to make a federal case out of one year?
Come on. Give the guy a break.

It also looks like I will not have an opponent for June 25.
However, I will stay on pre-bout training, since the following week I will be away.


TORONTO: THE ONLY CITY WHERE WALKING IS FASTER THAN THE BUS




I was supposed to be off Friday, but I was called in because I have absolutely nothing else to do with my time.
I worked Friday evening through to Saturday morning.
Travel early Saturday morning was not bad from downtown, until I got to Jane Street.

As usual, there was no bus.
I had just missed the last night bus, and it was over 40 minutes before regular services was to start, so, I walked.

I walked from Bloor Street to Alliance Avenue. It took 33 minutes, and I beat the bus.

Yes. Walking was faster than taking the bus.
Only in Toronto.

$150 for a pass.. to walk.
Now do you see why this service frustrates me?












BLOG UPDATE, VACATION

There will be no blog entries on June 28 or July 1, and no entry the day before the Stockyards' card on June 24. There will be a special 'Fight Night' report blog on June 26.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"

I Think I Hit Him Too Hard...Oops

ENTRY 331

SPARRING A NEW GUY...TOO HARD ?

No sparring Tuesday, but I did a few rounds on Monday with Leo and a guy who has only sparred once in the past. That would have made it only his second time in the ring.

I am used to sparring experienced boxers and the professionals, so I am usually full contact.
I don't mind helping the newer guys with sparing, but I think I hit him too hard. I nailed him really good with a right a few times.

After two rounds he decided that he did not want any more of 'The Brick'.
He mentioned that I had hit him very hard, but it did not appear to bother him too much.

However, he did not come back on Tuesday. He is usually in every day at least for the fitness classes.
I hope I did not turn him off of boxing.
I kind of felt bad about it, but I told him that if I was hitting him too hard to tell me so I will ease off.
He didn't say anything, so it really isn't my fault is it?
He knew he was sparring an experienced boxer.


'THE BRICK' TO BE TAKING A WELL-DESERVED LEAVE

It has been over three years since I have taken vacation time.
The last time was when I went to Montreal for two weeks.
This year, I am taking a week in June. June 28 to July 1.
My wallet is not full enough to go to Montreal this year, so I have decided to visit friends and family in Hamilton.
I will be visiting some friends from college, and my aunt whom I have not seen in over 20 years. I actually had lost contact with most of my family after my mom died.
I reconnected with my aunt through Facebook. Apparently she is living happily in Ancaster.
Thank goodness for Facebook. What would we do without it?

I will be taking a total leave that week.
I will be at the Stockyards' card on the Saturday. If I don't compete, I will be video recording.
I will be editing on Sunday.
On Monday, I will be in for sparring. Then right after, I will be heading into Hamilton.

There will be no blog entries on June 28 or July 1, and no entry the day before the Stockyards' card on June 24. There will be a special 'Fight Night' report blog on June 26.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"

Richard Was Right ?

ENTRY 330

COACH RICHARD WAS RIGHT...REALLY?

For a while Richard has been telling me that he wants me to drop to 165 lbs.

I have always thought that was too low for me.

Today, I went to the doctor for a check up, and I asked him what a good weight was for me.

He told me 165 lbs.

What?

Really?

Has the coach and my doctor been communicating behind my back?

SO FAR NO CONFIRMED OPPONENT

Richard is almost finished preparing the June 25 card. It will be the last until fall.
So far, all of the Stockyards' team, has a confirmed bout except myself.
There is still about two weeks, so there is still time.

In the meantime, I am still in pre-bout training and diet.

That's all for this entry as there has not been much happening.

I will be going away for a week at the end of June, so there will be no blog entries that week.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"

Offence Not Quite There

ENTRY 329

SPARRING REPORT: OFFENCE NOT QUITE WHERE I WANT IT

Sparred on Monday and Tuesday so far this week, and still trying to work on offence.

It is interesting that when someone thinks about a combat sport, the first thing to come to mind is offence.

Offence is actually the hardest part. It is the part that requires the most work.
Now that my defense is at a decent level, I realize how easy it is. I like being a defensive boxer. As a matter-of-fact, if I could win by just being on defense, I would. Unfortunately, as with any sport, you don't score points with defense.

I really have a lot of work to do on this offence.
As Coach Will puts it: Volume. Volume. Volume.


UNCONFIRMED OPPONENT FOR JUNE 25

Coach Richard is looking at a guy with eight bouts as an opponent for me for the next card.
That is more than I, but still novice division. Open division does not start until after 10 bouts.

Other than that, I really want to fight that guy from Kingston.

I also still want to rematch Phillip Gray. However, I have not heard anything of him. That last I heard was that he was not going to compete any more.
See. I made him quit.
"I've retired more men than Social Security".

Sorry.

====================================================

WITH A LITTLE EFFORT AND A LOT OF DETERMINATION, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

======================================================

"The Brick" is an amateur boxer certified by:

www.boxingontario.com

"The Brick" is a member of the Stockyards Boxing Team, and trains 5 times a week at:

215 Ryding Ave. Toronto

stockyardsboxingfitness.com

"The Brick"