I cornered my first fight on Saturday. Sure, I’ve been ringside with a few of our guys on occasion, but this was the first time I’ve been let loose on my own with a fighter. Originally Karl wasn’t going to be able to make it, so I jumped at the chance to get some experience. In the end, he did go, but it was agreed that I should still work the corner with Gaz, and he’d take a back seat and observe.
I’ve always known that cornering a fighter, done properly, is an art in itself. I’ve been lucky enough to have an excellent coach myself, and I know how much he puts into it. But until I did it for myself, I don’t think I realised just how challenging the job is.
As a fighter, I have a relatively straightforward job to do. It’s never easy - but the only thing to focus on is getting in there and doing what I do every day of the week in the gym. I can just let the adrenaline wash over me, safe in the knowledge that someone else is taking care of all the details.
In the corner, on the other hand, I still have the adrenaline to deal with. I’m nervous for the guy who’s in there (also a first timer). I’m wondering whether I’ve got everything right, whether there’s anything I’ve missed, how long we’ve got to go, double checking we’ve got everything - water, gumshield, vaseline, stopwatch, shit where’s that tape for the gloves gone? - whether I’ve got his warm-up right - I don’t want to burn him out, but neither can I afford to make the all too common mistake of sending him in cold.
At the same time, I have to give the impression of being calm, and having everything together and projecting confidence. I can’t let my own anxiety show in front of my fighter. I need him to trust me, even when I’m doubting myself. I’m sure there are people who would argue that I shouldn’t be doubting myself, that I should just be supremely confident that I’m doing a good job. My experience tells me though that that’s when I’m most likely to screw up. The self doubt is what keeps me alert, motivated, always looking for something I can improve or a better way to do things.
Our sponsors, PhD nutrition have a tagline which says “demand perfection”. This fits Karl down to the ground. When working with his fighters, he’ll pick up on every little detail. Any mistakes, however minor, and he’ll pull you on it. Because, as he says, it could be the one thing that gets you caught when you’re in there.
With my coaching, he’s no less demanding. Both in the build up to the fight, and at the event itself, every so often he’ll pull me to one side and ask “have you done…?” or “be careful of that, because….” or “what fight are they on? do you know how long he’s got?” just to check if I’m on the ball. The message is clear - doing an ok job just isn’t good enough. It’s got to be right. His perfectionism is contagious, and it keeps me on my toes in just the right way, and I know that if nothing else, I’m learning from one of the best.
I have another guy from the gym with me, Griff, who’s doing a great job of running around, working the warm up with Gaz and generally helping me out. He’s a team mate and regular training partner of mine, and I worry that I’m coming across as a bit rude as I send him off on yet another errand. He’s great about it, though, and I know I’d have been struggling a lot more without him there.
Walking out to the ring, I feel nervous in a way that I usually only get when I’m fighting. For a brief moment, I wish the responsibility belonged to someone else, as I pray that everything goes to plan. I’ve done everything I can, and now it’s down to Gaz to do his thing. As it happens, it’s over quickly as he chokes his opponent in under two minutes of the first round. A great first fight for each of us. It’s a fantastic feeling, I’m so proud of him… and just glad that I could be a part of that.
Great post. Never coached or cornered, but speaking from the perspective of the competitor it absolutely makes a difference. I’ve won matches purely on good coaching alone. And it’s hugely difficult to do, because not only do you need to know the person’s strengths and weaknesses, you also need to be able to (at least in my case) give clear enough instructions that I can comprehend and follow even when I’m high on adrenaline. Congrats to the both of you.