The Contenders

Steve forgot that the third season of "The Contender" premiered on ESPN this past Tuesday. "I heard that they got rid of six guys already," he said. That was true. One of the guys who was eliminated was 198 pounds, and all of the boxers during this season are supposed to be super middleweights, with a weight limit of 168 pounds. The guy lost seven pounds, but still had too much weight to cut to get down to size. It would have been dangerous for him to try to quickly get it all off.

"Buddy McGirt is one of the trainers on that show because his two cash cows -- Antonio Tarver and Arturo Gatti -- both lost fights recently," Steve laughed. It tripped me out that Gatti not only lost his last fight, but he retired in his corner. The guy who beat him? Alfonso Gomez, one of the boxers during season one of "The Contender."

There is a boxing show at Simons Park tonight, but Steve opted out of going to that. He's going to try to set up Larry with a match at the Eckhart Park boxing show, which is next week. JJ has a fight coming up next week as well, at a casino out in Aurora.

Bony sparred with Mike, and Bony had very good head movement. Steve kept telling Bony to hit Mike a little harder. "He can take it!" Steve said. Mike is probably the best conditioned person in the Loyola Park boxing gym. He works out all the time. Larry and JJ sparred, and I turned around to see Steve tending to a cut Larry had. It never fails. JJ always manages to cut somebody open, either in sparring or during regular matches.

Candace came in, but she was mostly on her own that night. I did give her some pointers about throwing hooks, but otherwise, she worked out on the bags.

I hurt one of the knuckles on my left hand while trying to throw an uppercut on the double end bag. My hand slipped and hit one of the metal pieces connected to the band that holds up the bag. My hands were wrapped, but I did not wear gloves. I usually don't while working on those lighter bags. It hurt badly for a minute, but it feels fine today.

Friday Night Quiet

I arrived at the gym around 6:20 PM, and Mary let me in. For about 45 minutes I was alone, so I didn't turn the bell on so the ringing wouldn't attract people in. I knew with the weather being a little warmer and Steve being out of the gym that night, somebody would roam in just to look. One teenaged boy peeked in, did a double take when he saw me, and left.

Tim came in eventually, followed by Tommy, Graubien, and Muhammad. Tommy explained he had been very sick for three weeks, which was why he was gone for awhile. He was surprised to find the gym so empty.

Sometime later, five little boys came in. As usual, I had to tell them to get off the bags. One of the kids I recognized as having come in before, so he knew he wasn't supposed to fool around. Fortunately, I didn't have to deal with them long. Jose followed them in and put them all out of the fieldhouse. "They were messing with Robert, then they were playing around in the woodshop, and then I saw them come in here," Jose said.

I was nodding off near 11:00 PM, when my phone rang. I got up to get it, and it was JJ telling me that he won his fight at the Hollywood Casino in Aurora, but Keith lost his because he gassed out early. He and Steve were in the car, still a half-hour out from Chicago. JJ told me the gym would be open this Sunday. I'll go, but I'll have to cut the workout short. I've got reservations to a cabaret show later that afternoon.