Page 114 - Demo

114 || FITNESS MAGAZINE || JUNE 2015 || EDITION 1FMM: Do you feel you will ever get back in the ring and make that anticipated comeback? DNR: When I started boxing as a professional I promised myself that if I ever got severely knocked out or hurt I would reevaluate my situation. I%u2019m not a quitter, but I do put my health first. Too many fighters stay in too long and then without any warning it%u2019s too late. I feel I got my warning and now I%u2019m thinking about my health. I don%u2019t want to end up like the stereotype or statistic of a fighter that hung around too long. I%u2019m open to new chapters. If I do decide to come back, it would be for something bigger than myself. Like the kids or God. I would really need to do some soul searching. FMM: Do you recommend boxing as a way of fitness for people trying to get in shape?DNR: The thing about boxing is that you have to incorporate everything. In training camp I ran every morning and spent 2-3 hours in the boxing gym training every day. By no means would I suggest that to anybody who%u2019s not a professional. But I highly recommend the fitness aspect of hitting the bag and doing the mitt work. It%u2019s good for getting out aggression and toning up, while also strengthening your heart and lungs. Many boxing trainers are fitness trainers and don%u2019t know how to teach the science, but are good at getting people%u2019s confidence up and getting them in shape. Good boxing trainers are extremely hard to come by and usually are busy training top fighters. FMM: Would you ever consider training fighters or people wanting to learn to box for fun? DNR: I already do. I train a few of my friends and they are already more advanced than some fighters I know. They already understand the fluidity of boxing and the angles I teach. Angles are everything in boxing. Boxing isn%u2019t just punching. It%u2019s slipping, weaving, footwork, and defense. You must be able to protect yourself while getting off your shots. That%u2019s key. FMM: Do you recommend boxing for women%u2019s self-defense?DNR: Yes, definitely. Punching is all technique. Kind of like the same way you hit a golf ball. If a woman learns the proper technique and combinations, she can be just as deadly as any male boxer. FMM: What are the thoughts that go through your mind from the dressing room into the ring, right before you are about to fight? DNR: I%u2019m extremely terrified and confident at the same time. It%u2019s a mixture of emotions that flood your body all at once. My adrenaline is peaked and it feels surreal. I can%u2019t feel my legs and it feels like I%u2019m walking on a cloud. Nothing seems real %u2013 like a dream. As I walk through the tunnel, into the flashing lights, I start to view the ring. I get a rush of fear and intense stimulation all at once. Once I%u2019m in the ring, I hand my life over to God and remember deep down inside of all the hard work I put into training for the fight. I%u2019ll never forget what it feels like to face the man looking at me in the opposite corner, and the realization of it all being so real at that very moment. It%u2019s an interesting position to be in. It%u2019s both liberating and terrifying. The time has come and there%u2019s no denying to. You cannot run and you cannot hide. You now have to fight.