By Emma Griffiths, Sports Editor
When you enter Bristol Boxing Gym, the smell of sweat hits you, alongside the squeak of trainers and the grunts of boxers as you walk towards the main room. And when you turn the corner, you are greeted with the sight of the 30 hopeful new athletes, partnered up and just begin to get used to the brutal intricacies of the powerful dance that is boxing. The newest cohort of The Fighter Bristol.
This week has heralded the first week of training for the new series of The Fighter, Bristol’s most established student fight night. Over the next six weeks, they will be schooled in technique, forced through fitness and practice jabs and ducks until they can do them in their sleep.
And all of these will be put to the test on the 21st November, when The Prospect Building is overrun with students in black tie, adorned with signs, ready to support their friends as they show off their six weeks of hard graft - and hopefully land a few winning punches in the process.
And, in the centre of all of that action will be the 31 fighters that I’m watching at the moment, just starting to get to grips with some of the simplest movements.
One of the best, most unique things about student fight nights nationwide is that the selected athletes come in with no prior experience. Regardless of who you are, if you’re representing your sports team, fundraising for a charity, or just lost a drunken bet, everyone is starting from the same baseline - utter, wonderful inability.
“The first sparring session was quite rough - there was a lot of blood, a lot of tears - it was quite intense. Everyone in the first sparring session comes in with ego and tries to beat up each other, and don’t really think about the technique and stuff, so it was quite a rough first sparring session, but it’s got better - I think there’s a lot of talent there” said Paddy, one of the student organisers of The Fighter.
“They’re good everybody, they’re very enthusiastic - people have stopped drinking, they’ve locked in, yeah, it’s good - I’m excited”.
Signing up to fight in front of hundreds of fellow students, all eyes on you, is one thing. Actually committing to the grueling training, the aching muscles and careful technique - that’s something else entirely.
Speaking to Ben Jeffery, one of the new fighters, he admitted that
“It’s much harder than I would have anticipated - I feel like boxing is much harder than people perceive it, even holding your hands up is actually really difficult. But equally, I’ve really enjoyed it and I think that boxing is a really good way to get fit and I’m looking forward to seeing what the other weeks hold.”
Ultimately, what lies ahead is six weeks of unknown, yes, but also excitement. Day-to-day university life doesn’t often stretch physical and mental limits - unless you’re climbing Park Street on a Thursday morning hangover - but The Fighter represents a real chance to experience something that isn’t on offer for the majority. If you have the commitment - and the guts - it’s a once in a lifetime experience.
“As time goes on, there’s just more and more nerves that kick in, because you are closer to that day where you are going to be in front of 2,000 people in The Prospect Building, having had two months of training, and that concept is completely ridiculous.
But I’m also motivated, because six weeks is a long time - and I’ve got to make the most of that time and give myself the best chance of winning”.
Epigram will be following the athletes throughout their training, and on the big day, so keep an eye out for the exclusive, insider views into Bristol’s biggest fight night.
Featured Image:Instagram/ @thefighterbristol
Would you have the guts to sign up to The Fighter?
