On Saturday Feb 4, REAL had the utmost pleasure of attending a masterclass of pure substance given by Ben Davison and hosted by Bermondsey Boxing Club.    Ben Davison has a global reputation as one of the finest boxing coaches plying his trade in the sport today. Ben began his coaching career working with Billy Joe Saunders and is probably best known for his involvement in Tyson Fury’s comeback from excessive weight, depression and alcohol abuse. Ben’s stable currently includes former WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood but he guided Josh Taylor to 140lb undisputed status ..read more

  Photo: an audience with Dr. Pete Olusoga Boxing is tough. The existential notion is that you’re trying to hit your opponent as many times as it takes until they’re unable to continue, or you win by having landed more punches than your opponent. You have to be tough. But what does it mean to be tough?   The most evident reality when one thinks of boxing is that it hurts to be hit in the face. It is inevitable that you’re going to get hit, so you have to be tough to sustain this. However, it is not just how you handle pain and your tolerance for it that helps you to continue. Wi ..read more

 You're booming if you're boxing From the North to the bottom of South America, across the Eurasian continent to Japan, down South to Australia and back around via Africa, boxing is a global phenomenon. At the time of writing there are no less than 18 differing nationalities represented, across 18 different weight divisions, who hold one of the five major belts in professional boxing. There are world title holders from every continent, except Antartica.   Whether it’s the surge in popularity of women’s boxing since the London Olympics in 2012, the large venues beyond the US that have ..read more

Learning ‘Lines’ from the Ingle script,  Directed ? by Johnny Nelson   On Saturday 24 September, REAL invited Johnny Nelson to Bermondsey Boxing Club - www.bermondseyboxingclub.com, to lift the lid on the famous Ingle-school of boxing. The enigmatic former world champion led a large group of boxing enthusiasts through a masterclass of footwork, switch-hitting and power punching. These characteristics in particular are what came to epitomise the style of fighting so famously associated with Brendan Ingle’s gym, in Sheffield.   Brendan Ingle was a boxing trainer, manager an ..read more

To nourish - is to flourish While on a journey East (from West London), to The Troxy last week, a colourful billboard caught my attention. It said: To nourish - is to flourish. As this advert was attached to a building site, I initially took it in the context of the flourishing community that this building would soon be proud to house. As I hovered at the traffic lights staring back at the billboard, the message landed in the most resonant way. Light bulb moment - I had my next instagram slogan sussed. Since then, the notions ignited by that initial phrase have travelled various corridors of e ..read more

Almost exactly thirty years after their fathers engaged in a brutal rivalry that gave us two huge, British fights (’90 & ’93), Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will fight in London on 8 October. "I grew up watching their legendary battles and always wanting to emulate that, and find my own arch nemesis… could this now be Conor Benn? We will find out," said Eubank Jr. The deal was almost signed at the end of last month but Eubank Jr - a former super-middle - had a couple of last-minute offers to field and use in negotiations. Middleweight world champions Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo b ..read more

While much heated debate rages over what are the most important athletic attributes or who are the greatest athletes and which sports produce them, there isn’t nearly so much discussion over which sport is considered the toughest. That is, the sport that demands the most from its contenders.   Anyone who has put on boxing gloves to hit pads or train on the bag will attest to how long a minute can feel. Throwing power punches non-stop for thirty seconds at full throttle would test many contestant’s muscular and ventilatory thresholds. While throwing punches is demanding, avoiding punc ..read more

"Bring Boxing Back to Schools"   Gloves Up Knives Down, founded in 2019, is a Social Enterprise committed to supporting young people living in communities affected by knife crime, providing access to boxing training to help them lead fulfilling and healthy lives away from crime. It was founded by; Finn Barrett, Joe Brett, Dane Nicklen, David Edgell and Ian Kisberg.   "We started as an initiative trying to raise the awareness of knife crime in London. Using boxing as a conduit, as an alternative to people possibly thinking about going out on the streets and picking up a knife," explai ..read more

BOXWISE “Boxing is a kind of magic, it gives strength to the weak, discipline to the wild and confidence to the shy”.   BoxWise is building a better nation; physically, mentally and emotionally. They are a social enterprise, using non-contact boxing as a building-block to a brighter future for young people. Boxing provides a structure for young people to channel their energy and to learn about themselves. Each participant is provided with a meal after every session, along with additional mentorship and support, providing a safe place to develop.    BoxWise collaborate with a net ..read more

“I feel sport is so essential in moulding the character and personality of young people, especially boxing. I don’t think there’s a better sport that can instil all the things that are missing from kids these days. Discipline, respect, manners, understanding losing, winning, and there’s physical and mental health as well.”  - Eddie Hearn   It’s fair to say that there’s a lot more to boxing than meets the eye. The first distinction to make is between non-contact and contact boxing. Everyone can learn how to box and not everyone wants to compete. It’s a popular misconception that boxin ..read more