We all face setbacks. Challenges make us better, push us a little further… but when does the push become an obsession? For me, balancing work, personal life and training has become a challenge. My first priority will always be to my business and my clients.
I’m sure that the men at the gym saw my tears as a weakness. Some probably used my tears as proof that I (or in many cases women) really shouldn’t be in a man’s sport but I saw it differently. The tears and emotions are what make women great fighters. We truly work hard to become the top in our class. We drive ourselves to overcome sexism, tear down the stereotypical images of a boxer, and do it all for the glory of the sport (and maybe a little personal glory too)!
My first fight was scheduled for April 21, 2007. The training picked up and the pressures started to increase. Marcus was just as nervous as I was but we handled the stress differently. He pushed me harder and gives me 100% of himself while trying to perfect my skills. He also, unintentionally, took some of my confidence away.
On short notice, he arranged for me to spar with some other female boxers out of the Cabbagetown Boxing Club in downtown Toronto. He told me that I needed to know what it was like to fight with boxers who didn’t have a personal connection to me and who were really going to try and hurt me. If you are thinking that I was scared to death, you would be right.
One of my sparring partners had more than 20 fights under her belt, a second sparring partner had about seven fights. The only positive thing I could think of was that they were both my same weight class of 119 pounds.
I told myself that I was well trained, in good shape and that no boxer my size was going to be able to really hurt me. But I really just did not want to go to spar with them. I started thinking of excuses as to why I couldn’t be there. Marcus didn’t want to hear any of it. He told me to be ready at 5pm and that he would be downstairs to pick me up. I tired to calm myself down with some meditation techniques but it was hopeless. I was scared spitless!
I survived four rounds, but I thought I was going to die. All that training, all that conditioning, flew straight out the window. I barely threw any punches and the only positive feedback my coach had for me was: “Wow, you’re pretty tough, you got hit a lot and didn’t quit.”
We headed back to the gym and started technical training. Both Marcus and I were worried, even though we did not speak about it. He had just watched as I got my butt handed to me by these girls. The training session ended with me in tears and questioning, Why am I doing this?
It just so happened that the Toronto Real Estate and Wealth Expo being staged around that time had a speaker whose line of work I could relate to. Former world heavyweight champion George Foreman was in town and I seized the opportunity to hear him speak.
Foreman talked about his troubled youth and how he started boxing. He spoke about his training before his first fight and how proud he was to call himself a boxer. How he prepared for his fight, thinking he was going to outbox his opponent. As he put it, he had his butt wiped as he tried to box while the other guy came to fight.
Marcus had been telling me this for a long time but I really got it that day for the first time. Boxing is a real FIGHT!
I said to myself, my first fight will not be against someone with 20 fights. I will be fighting someone with two to three fights. Am I ready?
Marcus was pushing me because he believed I had the ability to be great. My friends and family told me to stick with it and reminded me that the skills I was learning could be applied to all areas of my life – discipline, determination, positive mental attitude, self-confidence, overcoming fear… I could go on forever.
I headed back to the gym for more training and sparring with experienced fighters. It would be June 2 before I took to the ring for my first fight, but unfortunately Marcus wouldn’t be at ringside as he had decided to move on with his own career goals. My corner men, Donny and Jonathan however really stepped up. They warmed me up and helped settle the nerves. I was ready for the fight.
So, did I win? In my opinion, I did! I hit my opponent Cheryl Christensen hard, made her miss and gave it my all. I was the smaller girl, but had the bigger heart. The experience is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Did the judges award me the victory? No! But this was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. I was a real FIGHTER now! Little me, 119 pounds, a girlie girl, and a real fighter. I feel that on Saturday night, June 2, a door opened for me. It was truly amazing.
I was a superstar for a day. There was an eight-man film crew there just for me. The 8 Storey Entertainment group sent a crew and the whole day was recorded in high definition on their cameras. They had a camera about six inches from my face for most of the day. I was lovin’ it!
After the fight, people were coming up to me, telling me what a great fight I had. One official even said I had the potential to become a national champ. That felt good, really good.
Many felt that I was robbed but I didn’t want to get mixed up in the politics of boxing. I knew I could have performed better in the last round. I wanted to learn from my mistakes and get back in the gym. There would be a rematch, and I wanted to be ready.
Finally, the day had come for the rematch I was dying to get. I had lost the decision to Cheryl in her home gym, Newsgirls Boxing Club. I was hurt, frustrated and disappointed that she had won. I knew deep inside I was the better fighter. It didn’t matter what I thought though, I would have to wait for my chance to prove to the world what I already knew. My first fight was over and I had lost.
I had settled into my new home at Cabbagetown Boxing Club and was under the watchful eye of Peter Wylie, the former national women’s coach. Every time I sparred or felt pressured, I thought about June 2 and the moment that they awarded her the win. I told myself if I wanted to be the best, I had to train with the best and learn from the best. This is exactly what I did. I listened, practiced and ran my butt off and the results were outstanding.
I finally got the call that said the match was on for September 8. I started to pick up the pace during training and really gave it my all. My body did not like that too much and I came down with a sore throat and a high fever.
The doctor diagnosed it as strep throat and I had to take a week off training which freaked me out a bit. Here was my chance and I was at home sick instead of training. Mentally, I was ready so I tried to remain focused.
Still on antibiotics, I went back to the gym; I did not have time to mope. I was not going to pass up my opportunity.
Two days before my fight, I went in for a follow-up at the doctor’s office because I still was not feeling 100%. Well, it appears that there had been a mix up with the results of my second strep swab and the antibiotic I had been on didn’t work! I would have to take my chances and fight my rematch with strep throat.
Fight day arrived, and it was a totally different experience from my first time out. I was calm, laughing, joking and ready to fight. I was totally prepared, I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring. There was no fear or self-doubt. Even though I did not feel 100%, I knew that it was going to be my day. I was going to be a winner. Egerton Marcus, my former coach, came to support me. He was in the front row, cheering me on.
In the plan, I had visualized that this would be when she would quit or the referee would stop the fight. As usual, things don’t always go as we plan. Cheryl came to fight. She wanted to prove she was the better fighter and that she had not just been given the last win because of a home club advantage.
Between rounds my coach told me to remain focused. He told me not to brawl with her but to sidestep and box her. Ding went the bell, and the second round began. Cheryl again came out like a bull, trying to push me around the ring. I was not going to let it happen. For every one punch I took, I got her back with three. I was using the ring, slipping, rolling and fighting. A few times I had her stumbling back but couldn’t finish her. Cheryl spent most of this round with her eyes closed, just throwing non-stop punches. I didn’t care, eyes open or shut, I was still going to fight. Ding, back to the corner, second round done!
Before the final round, my coach told me he was very proud of me so far but said it was time to find out what was inside. “The third round will show how much heart you have.”
Wylie told me to fight with my heart. He said that when he gave the word, I was to start punching and not to stop until I heard the bell.
The third round was the longest. I was tired, really tired, but when I heard Wylie yell Go!, I just gave it everything I had. I left it all there in the ring. I just kept telling myself – I want to win, I want to win. Before I knew it, the round was over. The fight was over. It had been a tough fight, much tougher than the first time.
My corner was rushing to remove my gloves and headgear. My nose was bleeding, but I didn’t even realize it. They cleaned me up before the referee called both boxers to the centre to announce the winner. At this point, I was still unsure what was going to happen.
I thought I had won, but what did the judges think? “The winner by unanimous decision, Miranda Jollymore from the RED corner!”
When you join the winning circle, it’s a great feeling. I believe it is important not to ever lose sight of your dreams. We can accomplish anything we want with hard work, discipline and belief.