I’m Taking Boxing Classes Now
I started taking boxing classes this week at Mendez Boxing in New York City.
Why? I’m getting these hands (and lungs) ready for Rough N’ Rowdy. If you’ve been listening to Barstool Breakfast, you already know how much I’ve been talking about getting in the ring with whoever. Patty told me Mendez Boxing was where he and other Barstool employees trained to get ready for their Rough N’ Rowdy fights. So Monday morning, I took my first boxing class and bought a monthly membership on the way out.
(SIDE NOTE: I highly recommend taking a boxing class or just like, get up and go for a run. There’s something about exerting yourself until you want to throw up that makes you feel so alive afterward.)
During my first class, the trainer that was assigned to me absolutely hated me. He already knew he didn’t have the patience to be working with a fat at 5:30 in the morning. He asked me to warm up by jumping rope for 3 minutes straight… and three rounds of that… like 3 straight minutes of jumping rope; three times ………. See the problem with that request is… I don’t really know how to jump rope. Well, I do but I got lineman feet. And I weigh over 300lbs. Gravity is not my friend. After he noticed that I was only getting about 5-7 jumps in a row before resetting/resting, he told me to just get on the ground for planks. Not a good start, but during today’s class I was able to get about 45-55 jumps in without stopping. That’s pretty neat.
This week I took boxing classes Monday morning, Tuesday morning and Friday morning. On Monday and Tuesday, they didn’t know I worked at Barstool and was there to get ready for a potential Rough N’ Rowdy bout. Here’s a transcript of the conversation I had with the trainers after they realized I was training for an actual fight…
[ME]
I weighed in at 306 today, but I want to fight somewhere around 280 or so.
[TRAINER 1]
Nah, you should probably get down to like 250 honestly.
[TRAINER 2]
Yeah, and you should start jogging outside too. Right now you wouldn’t last past four punches. And I’m talking about you throwing the punch--
[ME]
No. I know what you meant, but the last time I was 250, I was in 7th grade.
(They laugh.)
But okay, I’ll try to lose the weight. I came in 3 times this week and I was thinking I’d do that until I fight. I think the next Rough N’ Rowdy is in April.
[TRAINER 1]
I mean if you trynna win you should commit to 5 days a week.
[ME]
So like Monday through Friday? Just in here getting it in?
[TRAINER 1]
Yeah, I mean if it’s in April you don’t really have that much time and you definitely need the work.
[ME]
Yeah, I mean. I’m committed so if you think I need it…
[TRAINER 1 & 2]
Yeah. You do.
[ME]
Okay, but. I only really have to be in shape to fight three 60 second rounds for Rough N’ Rowdy. So I think I don’t need…
[TRAINER 2]
But you like really outta shape right now. So yeah 5 days a week. Rest on Saturday and Sunday and we’ll get you ready. But you need to be jogging.
[ME]
Right. I’ll start running too.
[TRAINER 2]
You know when Muhammad Ali started fighting…
[ME]
I’m from Louisville. I grew up idolizing the greatest.
[TRAINER 2]
… after his first session, his trainer told him to run three miles that night. The next day Ali came and said he ran six miles. His trainer was like, ‘I only said to run three miles.’ And Ali said, ‘I had three more in me.’ If you have more, give it.
[ME]
Well, I was only planning on giving y’all three days a week but Imma start giving you the other two… and Imma run, I mean jog. I'm going to, on the weekend too.
[TRAINER 1]
Yeah, you need the work. But nice job today. Get outta here.
[TRAINER 2]
You not having him hit the bags today?
[TRAINER 1]
Nah, I was going to let him rest up.
[TRAINER 2]
Do you got it in you?
[ME]
…. Yeah …. I’ll go put my gloves back on.
[TRAINER 1]
When you go to work tell Patty I said what’s up! Do they still call him Gay Pat?
[ME]
(putting my gloves on)
Yeah, they call him Gay Pat.
[TRAINER 2]
Aye, how old are you?
[ME]
I turn 30 next weekend.
[TRAINER 2]
Yeah, you should probably get down to like 250 for the fight.
Above you'll see me slam a ball into the ground and shadow boxing to finish out today's workout. Before we started TRAINER 1 said, "Go get your phone. I'm going to film you and I want you to watch it." Uh, okay. Thanks.
I’ve been in fights before but I’ve never boxed. Well, there was that one time in high school after a couple friends and I went to see the 2008 martial arts classic, Never Back Down.
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It wasn’t good… fuck that. Yes it was. Right after the movie, we really wanted to punch each other in the face. We put all of our White Castle money together, went to the nearest sporting goods store, bought two pairs of gloves and used our cars to create a makeshift boxing ring in a parking lot. It was the most fun I’ve ever had up to that point in my life.
Other than that night, I’ve had no formal training stepping into the ring. I got into a fight freshman year of high school when Bach Zeachum called a (white) friend of mine an N-word Lover. I decided to press him about the allegation before he informed me that he’d hang me if I touched him. Well, I ended up throwing the first punch. He didn’t fare well during the altercation. Afterward, he transferred schools and all the black girls in my class nicknamed me “Fightah.” I call that a win, win.
I’ve never lost a fight, but boxing is a completely different ball game, but I was born for this. I know people hate when other people claim that they’re from two cities, but I don’t care. I’m from Louisville, Kentucky and Detroit, Michigan. Those places are basically city and state synonyms for Rough N’ Rowdy. I’m ready to put my past accolades behind me. I’m focusing on becoming the best boxer I can. Until then, I’m going to be in the gym in the morning and watching every Rocky and Creed movie I can at night.
Stay tuned…