Why Does It Have To Be the Same Day?

 

    ENTRY 506| JULY 28 /2023

.WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME DAY?

September 9.

That is the day of the Cabbagetown Festival and also the annual Cabbagetown Boxing Club boxing show.

I am hoping to be part of that show as I have been training very hard. However, even if I don't step into the ring on that day I will still be going to support my co-athletes and the coaches.

I have some Paid Time Off available that I am going to use for that day. Although those are supposed to be for emergencies, this only happens once a year, so I have a hunch that there is going to be an emergency on that day.

Dammit. I hate it when that happens.

A friend in Hamilton contacted me recently as he had won four tickets to a Blue Jays game.

He invited me and my wife to join him. He will be coming to Toronto and spending the day here and going to the game. I thought it was a great idea. He wanted to know if I could get that day off.

I originally wanted to go, until I found out the day. 

The tickets are for a game on September 9.

Oh...

I'm off that day, but for another reason. I might be boxing. 

Since they are planning on coming to Toronto anyway, why not stop by and watch me box?

Something could happen and I might not, but I am a bit annoyed because there is still time to make alternate arrangements. My friends and my wife could have said that if I am not in the ring that day they would go to the game, but if I am they would watch my bout instead. Right? Is that an unreasonable expectation? 

Apparently, it is, because they are dead-set on going to the game regardless of what I do. 

I don't know. Am I being selfish about this? They are coming to Toronto anyway and my wife is already in Toronto (obviously), so I am not asking them to go out of their way. 

They would rather watch the Blue Jays lose than watch me probably win.

I think they are being very rude.

I don't care now. Go to the game. Enjoy watching the Jays lose. Enjoy the over-priced hot dogs. Enjoy being stuck in traffic to and from the stadium.

...and I hope it rains.

Reminder: Next weekend is a holiday weekend (Civic Holiday) so there will be no 'Comments From the Ring'.

NEXT ENTRY: August 11 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer who has trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Wed. 0900-1100

Thu. 1730-1930

Fri. 0900-1100

Holidays 0900-1030

COMPETITION STATUS:

 PENDING

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

The Uppercut Isn't Working

  

    ENTRY 505| JULY 21 /2023

.UMMMM...THE UPPERCUT ISN'T WORKING, COACH.

It has been a while since I have been able to do some sparing. Almost four weeks, but this week I was able to get in two sessions of sparring for a total of eight rounds.

I went in for the Thursday evening session which was quite busy and I did enjoy it. Although it was mostly the younger guys, there were a lot of guys fop sparring, but to get everyone in they restricted each one to three rounds otherwise, we would be there all night. 

I also went for my usual Friday morning session and was able to get in some more.

Sparring this week in general was good. I felt happy about my performance and the coaches were happy. 

I also did some target pad work with my coach and we worked on some new interesting combos. One was,: jab, right uppercut, hook, right cross. Sometimes he would add a duck or slip in there as well. Of course, he wants me to practice these while sparring and I do...try.

I tried really hard but for some reason, I couldn't get the uppercut to work for me. I don't know why but I was off with it. That is a roundabout way of saying that I missed. Although, I don't like to use that work because I usually don't miss.  For some really annoying reason that uppercut is giving make a problem bu7t that is why I practice. I will keep working on it until it works and then work on it some more. Never stop working. That is the key to being a successful athlete in any sport.

Overall, things are going well. It is all thanks to my hard work and of course, the coach who has stuck with me over the past few years.

Thank you to the coaches at the Cabbagetown Boxing Club and to my co-athletes who work with me.

NEXT ENTRY: July 28 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer who has trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

 PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

My Return To Competition Is Getting Closer

 

    ENTRY 504 | JULY 14 /2023

ITS GETTING CLOSER...

It has been a long time since I have been in the ring for competition. 

Four years and seven months to be exact, It was the Golden Gloves in Niagara Falls in December of 2018. 

It wasn't my best performance and I have been waiting a long time to "correct" it. 

I didn't compete in 2019 because of my piss-poor performance at the Golden Gloves, in 2020 something happened that prevented competitive boxing for a few years. 

Now, boxing is back, and so is 'The Brick'.

You see, I will not come right out and ask the coach if I can compete. I may drop a few hints here and there, but I figure that the coach will let me know when he feels I am ready...and it happened...today.  

One thing about Coach Johnny is that he doesn't bullshit his boxers. He will not tell you that you are doing well if you are not, and that is exactly what a good coach should do, or shouldn't do. For about the last month, he has been telling me how great my performance has been and that he has been really happy with how well I have been training and how much I have progressed. Today, Friday, was no different except that he added one important line, "We are going to get you a fight soon."

Yes. It happened. My hard work had paid off. The coach said what I have been wanting to hear for a while. Could this mean that I will get a shot at the Cabbagetown Festival show that I have been wanting to be in for so long?

I, of course, can not take all the credit.

An athlete is only as good as his coach. If it wasn't for the hard work Coach Johnny has put into working with me, I don't think I could have done this, so thank you to Coach 

Johnny Kalbhenn.

I have been saying for a while that there is a reason why I travel from The Junction to Cabbagetown to train although there are now four registered boxing clubs closer to me,

I have also dropped a couple of weight categories. I used to be too heavy which was a disadvantage for me. I have since dropped from 180 lbs. to 164 lbs. and that will be much better.

I may have to change my training schedule a bit, though. The morning session no longer has anyone for me to spar with, so the coach suggested that I attend the evening session so I can get in some sparring. 

I am going to do that starting next week, and once I have a bout confirmed I will train more often and for longer each session as is common for boxers and likely for other sports as well.

It looks like this is it. 'The Brick's triumphant return will be soon.

As soon as I have a confirmed date, it will be posted below.

NEXT ENTRY: July 21 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer who has trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

 PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

Video Killed the Boxing Star?

 

    ENTRY 503 | JULY 7 /2023

VIDEO KILLED THE BOXING STAR?  I HOPE NOT...

I received an unusual request this past week...from Boxing Ontario.

They wanted a copy of a video from one of my bouts. My very first one, from nine years ago,

Who remembers this bout from way back when I trained at Stockyards?

At first, I wondered why they wanted such old content. Why not something newer?

The reason is that the referee for this bout has started a training program for officials. The idea is to watch a bout and then score it and then see how well you did compared to the actual outcome. A good idea. 

Of course, he chose this bout because he was the referee. Also, this wasn't a poor bout. It was actually considered one of the best Masters bouts.

Okay... I guess.

This was back when I was in the 85 kg class. I am much lighter now at 72 kg.

That being said, the person I was speaking with at Boxing Ontario about this video is also scheduled to be the head official for the Cabbagetown Festival show in September. You know, the one I have been so urgently trying to get in?

Well, he is looking for an opponent for me. 

Although my coach has still not officially agreed to allow me to compete on that card, I really don't see him not allowing it. I have been training my ass off for six months and it is the only thing I have asked in return.

I still have about two months to train for this and I am getting better by the day.

I just hope that the 'Video Hasn't Killed the Boxing Star'.

NEXT ENTRY: July 14 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

72 kg (163 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

ALMOST READY -- PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

Get Technbical With Me

 

    ENTRY 502 | JUNE 23 /2023

GETTING TECHNICAL

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on some technical drills instead of sparring since our ring is out of service for upgrades.

Both Coach Johnny and Martin have been working very closely and carefully with me.

I have to say that the coaches at Cabbagetown Boxing Club have been the absolute best out of all of the coaches I have ever had. Although Marting is not officially a coach at Cabbagetown, he is certified as a coach by Boxing Ontario, so as far as I am concerned he is a coach.

Johnny likes to focus mostly on offense while Martin like to do a lot of defensive techniques. That is good. I get the best of both. It is like in football where you have a defensive coach and an offensive coach.  Apparently, boxing has that as well.

Johnny has been working with me a lot on the jab, left uppercut, hook, and the jab, right uppercut, hook, and straight right. 

I like both of those combinations.

Martin has been focusing on slips and ducks with counters. For example: slip the jab and then come back with a little pop to the ribs.

Everything in boxing flows. That is what makes boxing a sport. One move flows into another. Most of the time boxers move too fast to notice, but that is what is happening. 

If your opponent is standing Orthodox and throws a jab, the defense is to slip away from it to your right (his left). You would not slip to his right because you would be right in line with his right and likely get nailed. Then, on the way back to your reset potion, you throw a right counter because you are already in the correct position to do that. You would not try to throw a left because it would be awkward and put you off-balance. You would slip the other way to defend a straight riht.

If you were to defend a hook. An Orthodox opponent would not throw a right hook to the head, so it would be a left hook. Normally, you would duck the hook or roll. You would roll to the right and pop a little uppercut to the ribs on the way back to the reset position.

If your opponent is Southpaw, of course, everything would be the opposite 

You could also just simply block an incoming attack, but that is usually only done to defend against a jab.  Quite often you would follow up with a jab of your own.

Lots of work lately with the coaches, but the idea is to get faster and not have to think about what I am doing each time.

Thank you to Johnny and Martin for working with me.

Reminder: Next weekend is a holiday weekend (Canada Day) so there will be no "Comments From the Ring". The next entry will b July 7.

NEXT ENTRY: July 7 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

71 kg (160 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

ALMOST READY -- PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

Used To Be A Boxer?

 

    ENTRY 501 | JUNE 16 /2023

PUBLIC FIGURES AND BOXING

These guys were boxers or trained with boxers before they became public figures or currently support the sport.

• Denzel Washington

• Drake

• Mark Wahlberg

• Jack Nicholson

• Justin Bieber

• Justin Trudeau

   

Just to name a few. This is an exhaustive list.

Who remembers when Justin Trudeau was a boxer?

I recently viewed a video on YouTube of him in a charity match that must have been a long time ago...and, .well, he isn't that good. There are guys at Cabbagetown who are better. Let me change that, everyone at Cabbagetown is better.

He is as good a boxer as he is a Prime Minister.

Yes, Canada. This is our Prime Minister in his prime.  

You know, they always show boxing with boxers who are decent. What I would like to see is a match where both boxers suck. Like Justin Trudeau vs. Jake Paul. I don't think anyone would pay to see that but it would be interesting to see who could possibly win. 

Unlimited rounds, just keep going until it looks like one is winning. Five days later they are still going and neither seems close to winning.

NEXT ENTRY: June 23 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

71 kg (160 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

ALMOST READY -- PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

500th Entry! and Am I As Fast As Mike Tyson?

 

    ENTRY 500 | JUNE 6 /2023

 LEFT...LEFT...LEFT...RIGHT!

The coach has still been focusing on the left jab, left uppercut, and left hook combo with me, but he has added something: A straight right.

When I first started working on this with the coach a few weeks ago I was very slow with it. I had to think about what I was doing, but now. I am super-fast.

My speed overall is getting much better. This is of course thanks to the great work of the coach.

Could I possibly be as fast as a prime Mike Tyson?

Oh, yeah. Damn right.

Bring it.

NUMBER 500

This is it. The 500th entry of the blog.

I originally wanted to do something special but couldn't think of anything. 

Although, over the years this blog has seen many changes including a recent title change. The popularity with readers has been up and down as well. 

Also, for three years there were no entries because there was nothing to enter.  Once I started writing the blog again earlier this year, there was a peak in readers but it has since cropped off and leveled off. Even though I do not get paid for this blog, when people read it, it gives me the incentive to want to write more, so the more readers this blog gets, the better content it will contain.

I am currently also working on some other writing projects including a full-length novel and some short articles.

Therefore, I am considering not guaranteeing a blog entry every week but only when I have something to report. In that way, I can focus on my other writing projects. 

It is just a mild consideration at this time.

NEXT ENTRY: June 16 /2023 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

71 kg (160 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

ALMOST READY -- PENDING

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA