Taking A Stunning Punch

I was watching "The Arsenio Hall Show" last night, and Eddie Murphy (in the photo above, which is a scene from the movie "I Spy") admitted to being a big boxing fan.  Murphy used to box when he was younger.
Murphy brought up that Bernard Hopkins is a champ at 49 years of age, and is schooling his younger opponents.  Murphy and Hall both laughed about old men watching someone like Hopkins, and thinking, "I can go and get in the ring with younger guys!"

Alan and his boss at his day job, Paul, went from light sparring to wrestling on the canvas.  Alan had Paul in a wrestling hold.  Teacher John and I were on the side talking about, "WWE!  MMA!  Tap out!"  My camera was in my pocket, but I didn't think to get a picture.  But trust me, it was funny to see.  "It's something how these old men think they can take someone down," I told Paul while I giggled.  Alan grinned, pointed to his head and said, "But we still got it up here to know what to do."

John sparred with Matthew, and he was happy to do so with someone who was his height.

Matthew waits in a corner of the ring before the first round began.

John likes to throw flurries, and he caught Matthew with one.  Matthew bounced against the ropes, and looked like he was going to fall.  But he recovered and continued.

I sparred with John for three rounds after he took a short rest.  I kept giving right hooks to John's back.  It was hard to try and get them into his left side, but John covers up like a turtle.  It was a little easier to get left hooks into John's mid-section.  The overhand rights I threw were so ineffective.  Later, John told me he felt my wrist against the back of my head.  He suggested that when I'm on the inside, I should tighten up the distance on those punches.

Alan kept telling me, "Come on, Hillari, jab your way in."  My hands weren't high enough or in the right position.  John got me with several light left uppercuts.  Then John came in with a right, caught me between my upper lip and my nose, and I got stunned.  I fell back into the ropes, then slipped down to the canvas.  My peripheral vision caught sight of Alan looked very concerned.  John apologized, and helped me to my feet.

After having not sparred for a minute, I did feel good afterwards.  John was laughing about how I kept hitting him in the back.  "I lay down at night, feel the bruises and think to myself, 'Dammit, Hillari!'" he said.  Alan told him to watch out about getting hit like that in a regular match.  John plans to fight at Portage Park in a couple of weeks along with Matthew and Keith.

John asked if I was going to fight at Portage Park, but Alan said I hadn't been training enough, which is true. I have begging off from sparring too much, and being unfocused in general.  It wouldn't be a good idea for me to try and get in on that boxing show.

I took a good look at my headgear; like my battered bag gloves, that is going to have to be replaced soon, too.  I've had a good run with that headgear, but the next one I buy, I'll be more diligent about taking care of it.