As a student, we often think of our teachers as just that and nothing more. When I was younger, I even thought that teachers slept in school, perhaps in a cupboard. In an attempt to enlighten us about the interesting lives that they lead, I have been interviewing Mr Bowles on his passion for boxing. Although I knew beforehand that Mr Bowles boxed, I found his commitment to the sport both impressive and inspiring.
What sort of Boxing do you do/have you done, and to what level?
The French call it “English boxing”. Think of Muhammad Ali and Marvelous Marvin Hagler as opposed to French boxing, 'savate’ - with kicks, or “Thai”. The level I reached? Top ten nationally in my final year of competition.
You can often be seen running around school, why is this?
Time, mainly. I think. it’s also important to stress that boxing requires enormous amounts of training. I was training with the club three days a week, sparring outside of the ring with team mates, sprinting for forty minutes at six thirty in the morning twice a week, running, weights, and going to other clubs for sparring. I probably averaged around fifteen hours per week of training of one sort of another during the years I was competing. Before you have your first fight, you need to be in great shape physically and have acquired sufficient technique to be able to defend yourself.
When did you first start boxing?
At 14 or 15 I tried two or three sessions but missed the team aspect of rugby, hockey, cricket, games I already played and enjoyed. I wasn’t ready for an individual sport at that age. I started seriously aged around 19 or 20.
What do you do to get yourself pumped up for a fight?
Boxing is a very honest sport. It’s not about the other person, it’s about yourself. Can you control yourself, can you force your will power to overcome the physical pain, can you change tactics on the go, keep thinking and moving under pressure? I find it very spiritual. Until you’ve tried boxing competitively, it’s hard to understand the physical exhaustion of a boxing bout. It’s knowing that it’s going to be cardio-vascular and physically exhausting that makes me nervous, not the blows of the opponent. So my pre-fight routine is focused on going through the game plan. I always try to read up on or watch a video of, or go and see my opponents spar or box. You have to be fully present in the moment, nothing else exists or matters. You have to remember the hours of training and hard work you've been through to be there. Your relationship with your coach is also very important.
16