I thought I should catch up with yourselves today to give some feedback on what was fight no 16 last night and my first appearance in the ring in (I think) over 3 years. It’s a long time to spend away from fighting but I’m glad I made it back. It’s been a long time. 

Today, I’m feeling slightly less bashed to pieces than I expected. I had a slight limp due to my right thigh aching this morning. That’s gone. My left shin was a little tender. That’s sorted itself out. The only aliment seems to be a croaky baron Green Back (Come on you must be a danger mouse fan?)type voice from getting a jumping knee into the throat.

At the time I really felt that I was taking a hammering at points, but having watched the video I’ve seen that despite suffering from a serious case of ring rust it wasn’t really that way at all.

As my trainer said to me this morning you are always your own worse critic, and despite feeling a little shell shocked for the rest of the evening after the fight was over it seems that I did actually fight quite well at points. A few people have fed that back to me too.

About to start a Warm up shadow before the next one.. 

I weighed in the day before the show at 63 kg or just over causing my opponent to have cut a little weight. We were fighting under B Class Muay Thai rules with elbows to the head allowed but we had to wear elbow pads.

Knees to the face were also allowed, and being a short arse is probably why I caught one in the throat in round 5! It took a second to register before I realized I couldn’t breathe properly and panicked a little spitting my gum shield out. I did get a count but I was still up for seeing the fight out to the bitter end.

Feeling strong..

There was a few moments last night where I really seemed to put things together but I spent a lot of the fight kept  on the back foot by a more aggressive fighter. There doesn’t seem to have been a point when I was in real trouble but I can see why he got the win. It was well deserved.

Saying that, I asked at the end if I could of won a round and everyone seems to agree I fought best in 4 and 5. In fact in round 4 something to switch on in my head. I’d forgotten what it’s like to be under that kind of pressure so it took a little adjusting. Next time I’ll remember to throw caution to the wind. Despite that, I wasn’t filled with dread or fear but it took me some time to settle into things.

I moved well and stepped off well but really should of come back more than just a few times with a good response although I think again maybe I fought a little better than I thought I did. I still need to work on close my range, and really getting my hips into body kicks. Low kicks aren’t bad and my hands are good but I think I was a little too hesitant at points. Putting it together in there is still as hard as it always was but it’s getting there.

I need to remember to work on my clinching and not to just take it when the knees are coming in or anything else for that matter. I need to always have an answer and to remember to be first. Before I stepped in the ring when I was warming up with my trainer I felt quite sharp and I felt strong. I felt on the back foot in the fight itself but think I did my best.

The moments where things came together and where things just worked show me that there’s still something left in the tank and that if I can still fight then I can still win. I believe in myself and I know the rest will follow.

As my trainer said to me it’s not ever going to be Baukaw or Sanchai but it’s about being the best you can be and that’s all that matters. Despite not feeling too sure this morning if I want to fight again I think now that I’m here I might as well stay for a while.

Besides I’ve missed you. We’ve spent a lot of time together you and me. It won’t get any easier and I don’t want it to be. I’ve never been one to look for short cuts or easy options. I want to keep fighting so I know I have to just keep training and keep improving  especially if I want to keep fighting a notch up from what I was before.

I guess really I want to see what I can achieve here.  I may be a little rusty, a little shell shocked and a little 30 something but here I am. It’s good to be back.. because when the dust has settled, the fight has finished and the training’s done (temporarily anyway ) I wouldn’t have it any other way. Have a good week and here’s to the journey. Thanks to my corner team for being awesome, thanks to Mike for a good fight and thanks as always to Eagles gym for having me. I’ll see you on the road.

My “million dollar baby” photo via Da Bull. Thanks for every little thing Dave. (We’ll work out a fee for the photo next week.) I’ll be on time from here on in.