9th April

Wednesday night - just Rich and I tonight. I haven't seen him for about 4 or 5 weeks as he's had some trouble with his mother but it was good to see him back. I nearly didn't come today as my left lower rib is still extremely painful even to take deep breaths, although after a warm up it is less so. My black eye from Dave's right hook last Friday turned yellow and is now almost gone. Also for the first time had hydrated myself properly over the day with isotonic electolyte and the difference in my alertness and stamina was noticable.

Before he arrived I warmed up with some fast skipping and a few laps of the gym. Did some practice in the ring with Jason - parrying, bobbing and getting some feel of being the fighter (in the middle of the ring). This requires a wider stance and better balance.

Richard had lost some fitness over his time off, but I was surprised at how he apparently seemed to have forgotten his stance and stood in front of me almost square-on with his hands at chest level. In other words if I wanted to take him he was an open book. I felt good about this, as I remember on my second or third training session he worried me a bit with his powerful punches. But the purpose of tonight was defensive practice blocking and ducking for three rounds.

I guess Jason remembered my trouble on the ropes last week when Dave rushed me, so we did some practice moving back, keeping upright and punching until you hit the ropes then to do an electric side-step and if possible give the opponent a cheeky tap on the back of the head to send him into the ropes and off balance. A nice maneuvre that turns the situation I found myself before with my head down, a sitting duck, into an advantage. There's an excellent section on the Don Familton superior boxing tapes about defensive moves.

The time went quickly tonight and finished off with a hard circuit of the usual punishment, although I feel more mentally conditioned to just getting on with it and not complaining to myself. The main thing that comes into my mind is that exercising close to muscle failure on your own doing an exercise is one thing, but if your body becomes exhausted in the ring, there is only one outcome. Never was it more true that you get out what you put in.

A few things to remember from tonight:

- I must do more bag work practive at home - do 3 or 4 rounds and build up stamina. Practice some double left jabs and a left hook.

- When punching or jabbing, snap the arm back. This should deliver more power and make a satisfying slap on the bag.

- put in more feints when sparring and be less mechanical. Boxing is all about combinations and catching your opponent unawares.