Coaches’ Tips on Becoming a Champion in Irish Boxing
Ireland has seen its fair share of champions in combat sports. But, if you go back to boxing’s history books, you have the ever-famous Jack Dempsey. Born in Curran, Ireland, Dempsey put the flag of Ireland on the boxing map, earning himself a coveted seat in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Fast forward to today, one of MMA’s (Mixed Martial Arts) superstars is Conor McGregor. A proud native of Dublin, Ireland, McGregor has risen to prominence in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champions) arena. He has won UFC championships in the Featherweight and Lightweight classes and now holds a record of 22 wins against 6 defeats.
Moreover, McGregor is currently a trending topic for recently being involved in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) arena. During the BKFC 41 event held in Broomfield, Colorado, the Irish UFC star took his “notorious” acts to the ring and faced off with Mike Perry. It was quite the scene in the ring, especially with fans clamoring for McGregor to take his talents to the BKFC.
The BKFC 41 was undoubtedly one of Colorado’s most significant sporting events. Many fans were even pondering this question: ”Is online betting legal in Colorado?” With a high-profile sporting event like BKFC taking their act to Colorado, there’s no doubt that the interest of avid fans and sports bettors will spike as well.
Going back to McGregor’s apparent interest in BKFC, did you know that bare-knuckle boxing has its origins in Ireland? Known as the Irish type of boxing, other European countries adopted the sport, and it has since become popular worldwide.
However, not a lot of combat sports fighters are interested in bare-knuckle boxing. After all, they can’t use gloves for protection, so the wear-and-tear of this sport could come suddenly and quickly. Still, there are others who thrive in this sport.
If you plan on entering the Irish boxing arena, here are some tips to get you started.
Find a Gym with a Winning Culture
There are tons of boxing gyms out there, but not all of these have championship culture written across their names. Instead, some gyms are only for recreational boxing enthusiasts who are only there for fitness purposes. While this is not wrong on any front, you should remember that bare-knuckle boxing isn’t your typical type of boxing.
When training for Irish boxing, you should be in a training facility that will literally push you to the limit. There must be a “no mercy” culture within the premises, as you will encounter bare-knuckle boxing opponents with this mindset.
Get Yourself a Hands-on Trainer
As we mentioned before, Irish boxing is no ordinary boxing. It’s not a popular sport, so there aren’t many YouTube videos you could watch to help you prepare for it. So what should you do then?
The best step is to get yourself a trainer who will work with you all the way. Boxing is a test of endurance, strength, and patience — not just for the boxer but also for the trainer as well.
There is no doubt that in this sport, you will have your ups and downs. Bare-knuckle boxing will test every bit of your mental strength, and there will be times when you might want to give up. When you find yourself in those instances, it would be a big help to have a hands-on trainer motivating you to get back up again.
Don’t Forget the Basics
Irish boxing may be a rugged sport, but it’s still boxing. Mastering the fundamentals and having a sound technical style of boxing could still catapult you to the top. So as you constantly work on increasing your mental fortitude, remember that you can never skip the basics.