Tag Archives: Boxing

Miles Davis and me

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Miles Davis and me

While I used to listen to my mother’s John Coltrane and Miles Davis records when I was a young child, I discovered jazz for myself when I turned 12.  My grandmother had given me a small portable AM/FM radio and fiddling with the dial I came across the radio station WLIB.  This was 1966 — and at 4:00 each afternoon, Jazz pianist Billy Taylor opened his show with Herbie Hancock’s Maiden Voyage.

What I waited and hoped for each day though was the chance to hear something by Miles Davis.  Billy Taylor usually obliged with tunes from Miles Davis’ ESP or Miles Smiles albums or a song like So What from such newly minted classics as Davis’ Kind of Blue album.

Years and years later training with Johnny Grinage down at Gleason’s, Johnny used to talk about Miles the boxer.  I’ve never really heard the speed-bag in his trumpet, but I still love the thought that the staccato of his solos could have come from his days of training in the ring.

Boxing Holiday Giving

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Update: James Zagroda 9/11 Bill

Multiple news outlets are reporting cautious optimism as new life is breathed into the prospects of passing the James Zagroda 9/11 Bill before the end of the lame duck congressional session.  Senate sponsors have reportedly lowered the $7.4 billion cost to $6.2 billion in an effort to overcome some Republican objections. Girlboxing urges all in support of this bill to keep the pressure on.  CNN has the story here.

Boxing holiday giving

At this time of year, holiday giving can include support for groups and organizations of all types from feeding the homeless to providing arts in schools.

For those of you who may want to support charities related to boxing here are a few organizations that can benefit from your generosity.

1.  KnockOuts for Girls


KnockOuts For Girls (KO4G) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that uses the discipline of boxing to build self esteem, inspire the human spirit, and promote physical fitness to help people facing challenges worldwide.

Through female boxing events and fundraisers, KO4G raises money to support its many programs that help underprivileged girls, women, and those in need.

Link to donate is here.

2. USA Boxing

USA Boxing is the national governing body of amateur, Olympic-style boxing, and is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). As a national governing body recognized by the United States Olympic Committee, USA Boxing is responsible for the administration, development and promotion of Olympic-style boxing in the United States.

Link to donate is here.

3.  Retired Boxer’s Foundation

In the words of Alex “The Bomber” Ramos, Founder and President of the Retired Boxer’s Foundation, “In addition to assisting retired professional boxers in the transition from their glorious days in the ring to a dignified retirement, we also have the task of educating the public about the sport–the good, the bad and the ugly.”  Programs include outreach and assistance to members of the boxing community.

Link to donate here.

4.  International Boxing Hall of Fame

The mission of the International Boxing Hall of Fame is to honor and preserve boxing’s rich heritage, chronicle the achievements of those who excelled and provide an educational experience for their many visitors.

Link to donate is here.

5.  Other ideas

If you’re in need of other ideas, you might want to contact your local boxing gym to learn of any programs they can put you in touch with — or donate towards supporting a scholarship for at-risk youths or an up-and-coming young boxer.  You never know, someone you support might just go on to win a Golden Gloves championship or even Olympic gold!

Hopkins v Pascal

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Hopkins v Pascal

Watching Bernard Hopkins fight Jean Pascal last night was reminiscent of an epic battle between two samurai: the one a world-weary older fighter and the other a young prideful upstart receiving his comeuppance.

Bernard Hopkins (right) v. Jean Pascal. Rogerio Barbosa/AFP/Getty Images

That the fight was scored a draw is unfortunate as it was clear that Hopkins had defeated Pascal in spite of the two knock-downs Hopkins suffered in the early rounds of the fight.  More to the point, by the 11th round, Hopkins had taken Pascal’s heart and while the younger man fought gamely on, everything about his defense spoke of his having been shattered by the tenacity and grit of his older opponent.

If those of us of a certain age had all cheered on George Foreman when he returned to the ring, Bernard Hopkins’ insistence on his viability as a fighter has had something magical about it.  Think Nolan Ryan throwing aces at the age of 46 for the Texas Rangers and one can see that it is still possible to be at the very top.  In Ryan’s case he’d adjusted his pitches to give himself the longevity he wanted.

For Hopkins, conditioning is what keeps him viable along with his boxing savvy and the depth of his understanding of the game.  Sure he’s suffered losses, but to see him throw body punch after body punch with the force of a jack hammer against Pascal was to know that he can keep on fighting for a long time to come.  The only question will be balancing his desire to box with the chances he takes every time he receives a blow to the head.

Whatever the case, while he was robbed of a win last night, it really doesn’t matter because we all know that Bernard Hopkins is a true champion.

A mom’s delight

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A mom’s delight.

Okay, I admit it, I am officially kvelling!  My daughter has been invited to test for her brown belt in Aikido today!

We are all enormously proud of her achievement — not the least of which is because she has done so much of this on her own through a combination of hard work and true passion.

As with any martial discipline, it a lot takes courage to stand out on a mat and get pounded. In her case, she flies through the air, does break falls any WWF wrestler could be proud of, and can toss a grown person twice her size with ease.  She’s also learned a thing or two about self-discipline, mental focus, and what happens when her “monkey mind” gets in the way.

What’s most impressive is she understands that in testing for her belt today, she’s not only taking a moment to acknowledge her efforts, but committing herself to further studies and the responsibilities that come with her new rank.

To all the parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or fabulous honorary aunties and uncs, do consider guiding the child in your care to studying a physical discipline such as boxing, aikido, or judo or any of the other recognized martial arts.  Having watched my daughter and her friends over the past years has given me an appreciation for how much these kids gain from this sort of practice.   It’s something I know I’ve written about before, but having observed the confidence and maturity these kids exhibit I can attest to the fact that these sorts of disciplines add an extra dimension to their growth and development that should serve them over the course of their lives.

So, congratulations to our fabulous girl and all her friends who are testing today — all of you deserve rounds of applause and a minimum of two scoops of your favorite ice cream a piece!

 

Recent Press on Women’s Boxing

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Recent press on Women’s Boxing

Jill Morley, "Girl in the Ring"

Lyle Fitzsimmons of Sports Network has written a fabulous feature piece on Jill Morley and her film “Girl in the Ring.”  This must read article published by the Miami Herald  among other newspapers can be found here.

 

Christina Cruz will fight for her 5th Golden Gloves Title. Credit: Goldfield for Daily News

The Daily News featured a piece on Christina Cruz yesterday.  Christina will be entering the Golden Gloves for a shot at her fifth title — as she works towards gaining a berth on the U.S. 2012 Olympic Team.  The link is here.

Mary Kom, Credit: Reddiff Sports

Girlboxing is a proponent of Women’s Boxing everywhere and found this piece on India’s Mary Kom entitled, “Representing your country is such a big thing.”  The article is an exclusive interview with Mary Kom published on Rediff Sports website. The interview can be found here.

Bird

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Bird

 

Charlie "Bird" Parker

I stopped into a shoe store with my daughter on Saturday afternoon on our way home from her Aikido practice when I heard Charlie Parker’s rendition of “Just Friends.”  It got me to thinking about Bebop and the improvisational nature of boxing.  Watch boxing at its finest and one finds not only the dancer’s art, but the improvisational character of a Charlie Parker solo.

For those who may not know, Charlie “Bird” Parker was an alto saxophone player from Kansas City, Kansas who along with Dizzie Gillespie brought a new lexicon to Jazz interpretation called Bebop.  Like many talented musicians of later eras, Charlie Parker’s tenure on earth was brief — all of 34 years, and yet the legacy of his music lives on today.

“Groovin’ High”

“Yardbird Suite”

PS – Catch a young Miles Davis on trumpet on both tracks.

Great night of boxing

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Great night of boxing

Amir Khan v Marcos Maidan. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Last night was a tremendous night of boxing on HBO and Showtime.

Joseph Agbeko-Yonnhy Perez. Photo Credit: ESPN

Showtime’s line-up included the first two fights in their bantamweight tournament. Beginning with the Abner Mares late round victory over Vic Darchinyan and Joseph Abeko’s stunning victory over Yonnhy Perez in a bout that everyone assumed would lead to a repeat of Perez’s victory last year.

Over on HBO, the undercard fight between Victor Ortiz and Lamont Peterson was scored a draw.

The fight of the night, however, belonged to Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana.

For those who didn’t see the Khan-Maidana fight, it fight is worth caching when HBO replays it or when they offer it “on demand.”  To my mind, Khan looked great through the first 9 rounds. What he’s got to work on though, is how to handle getting backed up into the ropes. He took a lot of punishment from Maidana from stiff upper cuts that really hurt him in the 10th, 11th and 12th.  Still and all, Khan proved himself to be a warrior and pulled out a tremendous victory to retain his WBA light-welterweight title.

For a great piece on the Khan-Maidana fight check out the article in the UK Guardian. The link to the article is here.

 

One other fight last night was Girlboxing’s friend Jill Morley’s victory in the Costa Mesa Master’s Tournament.  Jill is finishing up her film “Girl in the Ring” (previously known as “Fighting It”) and true to her subject is “fighting it” in the ring!

Get your tickets!

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Get your tickets!

New York’s own Million Dollar Baby, Maureen Shea has moved on to the promoting side of the business as president of Pandora Promotions.   Her first big venture in association with Global Boxing will be a fabulous night of boxing at Brooklyn’s Masonic Temple featuring WBC Super Bantamweight, Alicia “Slick” Ashley in the main event.  The fight will take place on Thursday, January 13th, 2011.  Tickets are available from Gleason’s Gym and Global Boxing Gym.  Seems like a great addition to your Santa list!

If you’ve never watched Alicia fight, it’s a treat.

Getting them to the gym early

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Getting them to the gym early

I live in a two-boxer family and if I count the young-one, we’re coming on three boxers.  As the trainers down at Gleason’s are happy to remind us, my daughter was practically born in the gym.  There are many stories told of how she was passed from one lap to another while my husband or I trained.  Her comfort today is telling every time she walks into the gym.  She’s got folks to say hello to,  her trainer, John “Superman” Douglas to fist-bump, and a general feeling of ease as she watches us workout or works out herself.

When it comes to kids in the gym, I always advise parents that there is no place finer to introduce a child not only to the intricacies of the sweet science, but to the rarified world of camaraderie, focus and importantly, people’s dreams.  A boxing gym provides children with a place where they can experience people working very, very hard to achieve complex goals that range from personal fitness to readying for professional bouts.

The boxing gym is also a place where children can learn great physical skills, confidence and a work ethic that will carry them across a lifetime — and this without ever really needing to fight in a bout.  The boxing work out alone with a skilled trainer or in a group class will provide kids with the chance to develop prowess in the boxing repertoire and for those parents who might object to their kids sparring, pad work and shadow boxing can simulate some of the movements of the ring.  Girls especially get a lot out of boxing training — not the least of which is learning how to physically defend themselves.

There’s also something else that happens in a boxing gym: a chance for people from all walks of life to interact and communicate.  In the over-scheduled world of contemporary child rearing, that sort of experience is invaluable as is the “drift” time that happens as you wait your turn.

For more information on children’s boxing programs, parents can contact their local PAL organizations. Many boxing gyms also provide opportunities for training children individually or in groups.  You can also contact Girlboxing and we’ll be happy to pass on what information we have.

Housebound

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Housebound

My daughter has been sick off-and-on with a low-grade fever and headaches over the past few days. This has meant that my husband has been at home taking care of her — and has himself caught whatever bug she’s had.

On those sorts of days when bed, TV and iPad games are your best friends it’s hard to get motivated enough to reset your bed covers, never mind do anything remotely physical. As the fog of misery begins to roll back, however, one sure way of pushing through the rest of the way is to sweat it out with some robust exercise finished by a nice steam.

By robust, of course, I don’t necessarily mean running a marathon, but first off, dragging your bones out of bed and into a hot shower to help you reset yourself.  And sure, if you feel as if you’re about to faint at that point, bed is surely your only option, but if you get out of the shower feeling refreshed and human again, the next step is to get your body moving.  Think Army calisthenics and get into yours sweats and start either with a quick stretch followed by run around the block — or a brisk walk to your gym to make war on the machines or a heaving bag.  What you want is a nice healthy sweat to get all of those toxins out — and as for the steam, if you don’t have access to one, get back in the shower with the water on hot and feel that junk rolling off you and down the drain.

Of course if you can’t run out the door, there’s nothing like shadow boxing to “I Will Survive”!

PS – As this is UMG, it may bounce you back to You Tube.

Sites we like about women’s boxing

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Blogs we like about women’s boxing

If you are looking for blogs by women who talk about the sweet science from the perspective of hauling themselves to the gym, here are a few Girlboxing has found around the web you might enjoy.

Girl.Boxer.Southpaw:  Girlboxing enjoys reading this blog.  It offers insightful and inspiring pieces on what it means to get up and train.  The link is here.

The glowing edge:  Terrific blog that mixes boxing news, personal boxing stories and the daily stuff about life.   The link is here.

The Sweetest thing:  A view of women’s boxing from Australia with a lot of salient points on the difficulties women face in the ring.  The link is here.

Binnie Klein:  Binnie Klein is a women after Girlboxing’s heart who wrote “Blows to the Head: How Boxing Changed my Mind.”    The link is here.

As for straight-up news about women in boxing WBAN – Woman’s Boxing Network is worth checking out.  Do they report on all the regional fights or have all  the latest news all the time – not necessarily, but given their focus WBAN does a good job of keeping women’s professional boxing in focus.  The link is here.

 

PS – Please pass along any blogs you like about women’s boxing in the comments field!

 

Working it out on the bag

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Working it out on the bag


What with Thanksgiving last week, Hanukkah celebrations this week and Christmas looming it’s the time of year when many of us can get hugely over-anxious and stressed out!  Sure some of us manage to get through it all with great joy in our hearts and nary a hurt feeling to consider, but many of us experience other emotions and have moments when we’d like nothing better than to chuck it all for a week in some other part of the world, preferably one without phones or email!

I’ve found that making the commitment to work out is a particularly helpful way to cope.  Whether it’s boxing, dancing, aikido, kickboxing, swimming, running or spinning for that matter — pursuing an active, physically engaging activity can provide a terrific way of getting rid of all the toxins that inevitably build during the countdown to the “holidays” and not just from all that overeating.

I like to think of it as working it out on the bag.  I take the plethora of “stuff” that inevitably gets kicked-up and give it a place to go.

Working it out on the bag means that you have a chance to chuck those things out of your body as a means of ridding yourself of the emotions that may otherwise be difficult to cope with.   And while I’ve found that the physical sensation of extending my body and hitting things gives me the chance to release a lot of “stuff,” any active physical experience of pounding something gives the sensation of pushing your body to its limit, such as the feel of the pavement when you’re running or a gym floor when you’re jumping rope.

The point is, these next few weeks are fraught with the pitfalls of a lot of heightened expectations including your own.  Perhaps the best present you can give yourself is the chance to work it all out on the bag long before you get to the point where you want to scream, cancel Christmas or take to your bed for days and days in the hopes that it’ll all end soon.

You might also like: it’s good to hit things

 

Boxing women

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Boxing Women

I get annoyed at the notion that women’s boxing is some sort of  “novelty.”  Boxing is tough both mentally and physically and anyone with the temerity to get in the ring deserves our support.  My “beef” is in trying to find boxing results for women’s bouts the morning after! They are hard to find, WFAN excepted, though they may not have them on an “up-to-the-minute” basis.  What really steams me is when the results from the card are posted “absent” the women’s bouts.

Okay, I’ll get off the soapbox and show you a short from one of the thousands shot by the Thomas Edison Company in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s).  This “novelty” film of the boxing Gordon Sisters was shot on May 6, 1901.  The women were advertised as “Champion Lady Boxer’s” and had a boxing vaudeville act for several years.  If you are interested in more information you can find it here.

PS.  Girlboxing offers a shout out to heavyweight pro Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis for her win last night as part of Broadway Boxing’s fight night card at B. B. King’s.   With this win Sonya improves her record to 3-0.

Update:  Nice piece about Sonya from Boxing 24 News.com here.

Champions

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Champions

“You know what a champion is? A champion is someone who’s ready when the gong rings – not just before, not just after – but when it rings.”  – Jack Dempsey

The Times of India is covering a story on the 11th Women’s Boxing Championship that will be held in Thrissur, India.  Participants have started at their training camp in preparation for the first round of bouts on December 4th.  This championship shall set the stage for selecting the Indian national team that will go on to fight in the 2012 Olympics.

Many young Indian women are finding their way into boxing as a means of elevating their status — and getting themselves and their families out of poverty.  This is not so different from the reasons many young men and women have found their way into sport in the United States.  And let’s face it, while we think of it as a sport, in my opinion boxing is much more than that.  It is about heart and facing the kind of fear that can otherwise cripple a person.

A champion in the ring is a person who understands that and overcomes it.  Win or lose the mere fact of getting in the ring counts for something.  So, if you are fighting today, think about what Jack Dempsey said and be ready when the bell rings.

The New York Times wrote about the phenomenon of women’s boxing in India here.  It is worth the read.

Finding inspiration

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Finding inspiration

Shadow Boxers

The great woman’s boxer, Lucia Rijker is quite the warrior.  The following clips are from the film “Shadow Boxers” by Katya Bankowski.  I watched them this morning doing crunches.

 

 

Google video has a streaming version of the film here.