Happy slapping

IT'S usually the way that if you believe something is going to be really, really bad, it rarely is.

So it proved to be with my return to sparring, some six-odd months since I stepped through the ropes and threw a glove in anger (well, sort of anger).

As predicted, Steve paired me up with my old mate Matt, who seems to have lost none of his aggression, fitness and ability to keep on coming, even when you are bouncing his head around with your fists.

It was an interesting evening. When I went for my first session proper last Thursday, there were a lot of people who hadn't been at the previous gym, and I wondered then who would spar - mainly because I was looking forward to sizing them up and working out if I could fight them or not.

But in the end, it was just myself, Matt, Mikey and John (previously Little John, but now the only John). I'm glad that Steve didn't throw me in with Mike who punches as hard as a horse kicks, but that's not to say I had it easy with Matt. Not at all.

First, I should point out that Matt gives away two-and-a-half stone to me, so I should be able to deal with him easily. However, it shows either how good he is or how bad I am that our contests are nearly always even Stevens. It might sound perverse, but I didn't realise how much I enjoy the warmth of soft stinging around the face that comes from being struck there. It's a life-affirming feeling.

First round was just jabs, of the left-handed variety. This went well for me, I felt. Matt shows quite a lot of the top of his head, which gives me something to hit. I was a bit dismayed that I've lost the ability to launch across-the-ring attacks. I used to be able to cover half the ring in a flash and get a jab in before my opponent had time to react - and that was in a bigger ring. It didn't feel like speed was the issue (although fitness definitely was - more of which later). I just think I've yet to re-discover my distances. No doubt that will come.

Second round was mix-it-up. This turned into great entertainment, not just for ourselves, but for the whole gym. Matt's technique involves crashing through your reach and then working away in close. It put me on the back foot and had me reachingh my chin backwards, a very silly thing to do. However, when someone tries something like this, you have to find a way to fight back, otherwise they'll keep doing it, keep racking up the points, and they will beat you. I planted my back foot and fought back.

What followed was a flurry of blows, some good, some not so. I remember getting off three good hooks to his head, just before he landed a wind-taking jab to my midriff. The intensity started steadily rising as we both went for it, until a "Stop! Stop!" came from Steve. He said we were slapping. This means we were not turning in our fists, hitting with the base of the hand rather than the knuckles.

I thought it was fair comment. Matt's reaction was, "I like a bit of slapping every once in a while". But as I looked up, I ould see everyone, but everyone, in the gym had stopped and were watching us, some with grins, thinking something was kicking off, and others in amazement.

To be honest, Matt and I have had more bruising encounters. He said as much after we left the ring a couple of rounds later, commenting on our spectators, "They've never seen us fight before, have they?" One thing I was particularly pleased with is that I managed to duck and weave out of a few of his shots (although I managed to misjudge one and get a smack straight in the chops for it!).

Sitting here the following morning, feeling the exhaustion that came from not only sparring, but the intensive fitness training that Steve and Darren had us doing afterward, I can say that I really, really enjoyed it. Really enjoyed it. Although I think my performance was flabby when taken as a whole, there were sharp little bits to take heart from, flashes to build upon.

I definitely felt it in the final round. This is not unusual, but it remains worrying. Matt could have been all over me in the final minute. If that was a closely fought contest, I imagine that would count against me. I knew fitness was going to be an issue, but I believed I had slipped further down than I have. That's not to say that all is dandy, but it is encouraging and, again, gives me a base to build from. Oh, and I've lost half a stone in a week - well pleasing.

I'm having the day of today. I was supposed to be going to lunch with someone but they cried off. And even though I'm knackered and my body deserves a well-earned rest, I feel a little bit cheated really. Oh well.