1st Exhibition

I had my first exhibition match on Saturday night, August 3rd.  This was not a sanctioned fight, but an event where fighters who are in training for a match can come in front of a small crowd and see what they've got.

Let me set the scene...it was hosted by Boston Boxing in Brighton - the gym that trained one of my trainers, Kathy McLean.  When you picture a boxing gym in your head,  Boston Boxing is it.  It is big and tough, with a huge ring in the middle that looks like it has seen its share of some really great fights.

There was a cash bar, live music, babies, women dolled up in sequins, some really tough looking guys, political signs, fighters and their trainers.  I felt like I was in a Dennis Lehane novel and sh!t could go down any minute.  If either Marky Mark or Whitey took a front row seat, I wouldn't have blinked an eye. It was just perfect.  Absolutely perfect - everything you'd want your first fight to be.  It was...Boston Strong.


I got there with my trainers, Kathy and Sione and found out that I'd be the first fight and that I'd be up against another Haymakers fighter (not my opponent in October).  I met her and chatted for a few minutes. She was young, beautiful, and very, very sweet....so sweet that I thought there was no way she'd have any fight in her.  I was confident even though she was much taller than I am and outweighed me as well. I was strangely very calm and not nervous about the crowd.  I think my dancing background - being onstage- helps me here.  My Husband, Dave, and my good friend, Tom, were there to watch and I was excited about that.

Finally, after the band played a set, they announced our fight and we got into the ring.  She came out strong, which surprised me.  (Lesson #1 from the night:  never underestimate your opponent, which I should have already known.)  The crowd and noise faded away from me.  All I was focused on was her, and the voices of our trainers.  It felt just like sparring night back at Fitness Advantage (where I recently got my first black eye and fat lip).  I was mentally a little down on myself after round 1 because she was coming harder than I expected her to and I wanted to make Sione and Kathy proud. Looking back at the video I did better than I felt I did at the time.  Sione tells me this is normal.  I guess whenever you're actively getting punched it doesn't feel like things are going well.  :) It turns out I was throwing tons of punches myself.  I just don't remember doing it.  

In round 2 she got a hold of me for a little bit and I couldn't get out of it.  I thought for a moment that she was actually going to knock me out.  I was dizzy.  (In addition to getting punched like crazy, I hadn't eaten breakfast or dinner so lesson #2 of the night is to eat.)  Round 3 is a bit of a blur for me now but videos show that it went pretty well.  After only a month of training I'm not a technical masterpiece but I had a couple of crowd pleasing moments, some power, and a lot of fight in me.  I wasn't tired.  We've been training for longer and more rounds than the fight actually is, so 3 two minute rounds was easy physically but was mentally draining. They don't score these exhibitions so I don't know who won, but the experience of putting my first fight behind me was the goal.  I'll be so much more prepared for October.  


It was very fun to go back to my corner after each round and get the game plan and spit bucket from Sione and Kathy.  I felt like a champ.  :)   I love them even more than I did before because I saw how much they are investing in me, and how I reflect on them.  We are a team even though I'm in that ring alone.

The whole Haymakers family is a team as well.  We are all working toward one common goal...to knock out cancer by funding research.  They have already raised over $1 million.  They are making a difference.  The donations from our all-women's Belles of the Brawl event in October will directly benefit breast cancer research at Dana Farber.  Please consider a donation.  I have committed to raising at least $3,000, and I need your help.  Any amount is very much appreciated!

http://donate.haymakersforhope.org/fundraise?fcid=252741