Stoked. Psyched. Wired. Talking in single-word declarations. Ok, let’s start over.

Atlanta Corporate Fight Night takes place on October 21, 2010, and I already have my airplane ticket. I heard about this fight event a month or two ago, browsing around the web (Facebook, maybe?). I contacted the promoter, Terri Moss, and last week she had a woman who was unable to make weight for a fight and contacted me back to see if I wanted to step in and take her place.

Astonishing, to have a fight come together after all this time.

Am I changing anything about my training? No. Am I worried about my footwork, or my cardio, or my cranky shoulder? Nope. Am I upset that my trainer can’t go (sister’s wedding) to corner for me? Nah. So what the hell am I?

Radiantly happy.

I lied. There’s one tiny thing: I’ll be boxing in Atlanta in a field of hometown fighters. I’ll be the only one there with no posse. No corner. No we-made-homemade-tee-shirts-for-this cluster of crazy friends. The ring announcer will call my name and the guys in the sound booth will punch up an MP3 for the Proverbial Cricket Chorus.

There’ll be no familiar dive to crowd into afterward to go through each round blow-by-blow and beer-by-beer.

But that ain’t such a big deal.

My second-level trainer, Nas, asked me if I wanted a one-on-one training session before he left for NYC for a couple of his own fights. He gave me a solid hour on the mitts and told me I was as ready as I’ve ever been. And he imparted one small piece of advice.

“Quitting is an option, but winning and losing are just a part of life,” he said, as I ducked the mitt that swung in a quick left hook toward my ear. “You go down there and you box. This is what you trained for, this is what you love. So go do it.” He called another fast combo. I popped through it, then settled into a string of jabs to his ribs. “And put your power into it,” he grunted. “The time for holding back is over.”

That sent a quiet thrill through me, and I allowed myself precisely .07 seconds to fantasize getting a win by TKO.

Meanwhile, nothing changes. I train, I sneak M&M;’s, I land uppercuts in my dreams. Right crosses, down the pipeline for contact. I brace myself for the adrenaline surge to wash over me and leave me limp and barely able to suck for air.

It’s only 6 minutes. I can do anything for 6 minutes.

Related posts:

1. Fight trading
2. The Fight Within
3. Mann & Marinaccio WIN! “Mama Said Knock You Out” Fight Night Results

View Original Post at theglowingedge.com

• Filed Under:  
• Boxing, Sports

There are 3 comments on this post. Join the discussion!

MarQFPR

Good for you - I do know a former female boxer and currently a promoter out of New Mexico if you ever want to do a bout outside of Georgia.

Monday, October 11, 2010 at 11:07pm PDT

Lisa Creech Bledsoe

Thanks! I'm in North Carolina, and I may still be the only female Masters-level boxer registered in this state. That's part of the reason why it's been so hard to find matches. I learned of two Masters women in DC, but they are way too light for me. I am 5'7" and weigh about 145, and they were in the Straw weight category. I'm thinking NYC might work, and I'm considering the Florida as well. The Florida Women's Nationals usually has at least one match in the Masters, and even though I don't have official fight experience I would go to get the match! ANYTHING you hear of, I'd love to learn about it, thanks!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 6:21am PDT

Lisa Creech Bledsoe

Thanks! I'm in North Carolina, and I may still be the only female Masters-level boxer registered in this state. That's part of the reason why it's been so hard to find matches. I learned of two Masters women in DC, but they are way too light for me. I am 5'7" and weigh about 145, and they were in the Straw weight category. I'm thinking NYC might work, and I'm considering the Florida as well. The Florida Women's Nationals usually has at least one match in the Masters, and even though I don't have official fight experience I would go to get the match! ANYTHING you hear of, I'd love to learn about it, thanks!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 6:21am PDT