I just wanted to share my experience at boxing on Thursday night. While our regular coach Alexei, "The Crushin' Russian", is overseas fighting in the qualifying rounds for the Commonwealth Games, Steve has been taking our classes.
This is Steve in blue, punching a Tongan in the head.
Because there were an odd number of people in the class, Steve paired up with me. Steve and Alexei are so macho they pooh-pooh focus mitts, asking people to punch their bare hands.
So the opening round of Thursday night's class went like this:
Steve [holding up massive paws]: OK, long punches, hard and fast!
RP: BAM, BAM, BAM!
Steve: JESUS!!!
RP: BAM, BAM, BAM!
Steve:
CHRIST! That's some hard punching!
RP: BAM, BAM, BAM!
Steve: [Breathes hard and sweats profusely]
RP: BAM, BAM, BAM!
I kept up the intensity for the full-three minute round. The next time I had to punch him, Steve didn't say a word, just quietly put on his focus mitts.