BoxRec

Throwing this out there, are there any boxers who've boxed professionally whilst still educalating at university? Would be interesting to see how they manage their time and things.

Nathan Cleverley got his mortar board while fighting professionally. I think it was Pure Mathematics he studied. Can't have been easy.

Juan Diaz

Cruiser China Clarke and light-heavyweight Bob Ajisafe are currently students in Leeds.

Thing with uni is that it's often only lectures for about 16 hours per week so it's actually much easier to combine with boxing that a full-time job is.

Studying and writing papers are the biggest bitches though (especially the latter). Sitting through lectures is the easy part.

I went pro at 18 while at uni, at the time I think I was the only uni student to have done this and had some national press, since then poly's started to call themselves uni's so more did it.
It was great really uni gives you plenty of time to train full time.

Coco wrote:I went pro at 18 while at uni, at the time I think I was the only uni student to have done this and had some national press, since then poly's started to call themselves uni's so more did it.
It was great really uni gives you plenty of time to train full time really

Did it get tougher during the latter years? I've heard the first uni year is supposed to be easy.
Reason I ask is that I've just got into boxing and hoping to go amatuer in my first year, and probably step it up before I finish the course.

Atom Bomb wrote:

Coco wrote:I went pro at 18 while at uni, at the time I think I was the only uni student to have done this and had some national press, since then poly's started to call themselves uni's so more did it.
It was great really uni gives you plenty of time to train full time really

Did it get tougher during the latter years? I've heard the first uni year is supposed to be easy.
Reason I ask is that I've just got into boxing and hoping to go amatuer in my first year, and probably step it up before I finish the course.

I found I had plenty of time throughout the 3 years, also worked the door in the nights and cleaned in the morning

Coco wrote:I went pro at 18 while at uni, at the time I think I was the only uni student to have done this and had some national press, since then poly's started to call themselves uni's so more did it.
It was great really uni gives you plenty of time to train full time.

Who are you coco?

I don't box but sports writing takes up 25 hours plus of my week and in the last three years I've managed to do a full-time degree, write for various websites and two newspapers (I do a bit of football as well) and work a normal job three days a week as well.

Uni isn't that hard. I'd say it's the perfect time to box because if you're not having to balance it with a job you've got loads of training time. It's much harder for those boxers who have full-time jobs like Gary Davies who does 12 hour days and still has to find time to train.

I graduate this summer and life will become a lot harder, not easier.

Coco wrote:http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

You still boxing now mate or you retired?I know by looking at that your last fight was late last year

lefty wrote:

Coco wrote:http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

You still boxing now mate or you retired?I know by looking at that your last fight was late last year

I'm still licensed, i'm toying with the idea, i'm not really doing it for the money no more so if I get offered a decent fight with a bit of notice, who knows!

Coco wrote:

lefty wrote:

Coco wrote:http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

You still boxing now mate or you retired?I know by looking at that your last fight was late last year

I'm still licensed, i'm toying with the idea, i'm not really doing it for the money no more so if I get offered a decent fight with a bit of notice, who knows!

Well if you enjoy it then why not!I know people always say people box on too long and in certain cases thats true but if you actually love boxing and its not money motivated then i think you should do what makes you happy even if you do risk your health!My philosophy is i think its better to die doing something you love rather than living and being miserable!Just my personal opinion though!

It's a hard habit to break, esp if you are in the gym, the little bit of spotlight is very alluring too, god knows how the top boys cope walking away from that!
Hopefully it won't kill me! But I would much prefer to die in the ring than in an alley with a needle in my arm.
Many of the boys who fight don't have many options in life and if anti-boxing brigade took this option away it would make it more likely that inner city lads would take the wrong routes.
Boxing has been great to me and has substantially increased my choices.
It's just getting punched in the face I can't take!

coco you are bonkers

Coco wrote:It's a hard habit to break, esp if you are in the gym, the little bit of spotlight is very alluring too, god knows how the top boys cope walking away from that!
Hopefully it won't kill me! But I would much prefer to die in the ring than in an alley with a needle in my arm.
Many of the boys who fight don't have many options in life and if anti-boxing brigade took this option away it would make it more likely that inner city lads would take the wrong routes.
Boxing has been great to me and has substantially increased my choices.
It's just getting punched in the face I can't take!

Well obviously noone wants to die and god willing that never happens but i think you get the general idea of what i mean.

lefty wrote:

Coco wrote:It's a hard habit to break, esp if you are in the gym, the little bit of spotlight is very alluring too, god knows how the top boys cope walking away from that!
Hopefully it won't kill me! But I would much prefer to die in the ring than in an alley with a needle in my arm.
Many of the boys who fight don't have many options in life and if anti-boxing brigade took this option away it would make it more likely that inner city lads would take the wrong routes.
Boxing has been great to me and has substantially increased my choices.
It's just getting punched in the face I can't take!

Well obviously noone wants to die and god willing that never happens but i think you get the general idea of what i mean.

Lol I know you didn't mean it like that, it just made me think of making the wider point

nicnut wrote:coco you are bonkers

Lol cheers Nick! It was good to see you on Thursday mate

It is possible to do a degree and a job- more people will be doing that now, as long as the job hours are flexible- driving instructor etc. For sure, some degrees are more demanding than others!

I did history, and got a 2.1 - there certainly would have been time for me to do another job if I'd put the hours in. I worked part time, like most people do.

Wicked, living in the middle of manchester right next to campus (fornicating pricey) gives me a nice selection of gyms to go to. Aunt should be starting up a post office so I'll be taking a few hours to fund boxing through that.

Coco wrote:It's a hard habit to break, esp if you are in the gym, the little bit of spotlight is very alluring too, god knows how the top boys cope walking away from that!
Hopefully it won't kill me! But I would much prefer to die in the ring than in an alley with a needle in my arm.
Many of the boys who fight don't have many options in life and if anti-boxing brigade took this option away it would make it more likely that inner city lads would take the wrong routes.
Boxing has been great to me and has substantially increased my choices.

I've been reading a little into the issues that cause alot of the big pros to end up screwing up, got a PM on one of those self-development forums about how/why it happens and how to control it. I'll post it up in the off-topic section later tonight if anyones interested.

Oh and, hopefully you're still enjoying the boxing a few years from now so I can give you a nice arse kicking

Atom Bomb wrote:Wicked, living in the middle of manchester right next to campus (effing pricey) gives me a nice selection of gyms to go to. Aunt should be starting up a post office so I'll be taking a few hours to fund boxing through that.

Coco wrote:It's a hard habit to break, esp if you are in the gym, the little bit of spotlight is very alluring too, god knows how the top boys cope walking away from that!
Hopefully it won't kill me! But I would much prefer to die in the ring than in an alley with a needle in my arm.
Many of the boys who fight don't have many options in life and if anti-boxing brigade took this option away it would make it more likely that inner city lads would take the wrong routes.
Boxing has been great to me and has substantially increased my choices.

I've been reading a little into the issues that cause alot of the big pros to end up screwing up, got a PM on one of those self-development forums about how/why it happens and how to control it. I'll post it up in the off-topic section later tonight if anyones interested.

Oh and, hopefully you're still enjoying the boxing a few years from now so I can give you a nice arse kicking

Im interested in that forum mate!Sounds interesting

Colin 'Kid' McCauley boxed pro while studying psychology at Sheffield Hallam.

Atom Bomb wrote: Oh and, hopefully you're still enjoying the boxing a few years from now so I can give you a nice arse kicking

Even in jest, that is a very bold prediction for someone who has never boxed before to make to a 53 fight pro veteran - it would take you 6 years learning to box for Coco not to make you look like a monkey in the ring - then your only future would be on a PG Tips advert!

whicker wrote:It is possible to do a degree and a job- more people will be doing that now, as long as the job hours are flexible- driving instructor etc. For sure, some degrees are more demanding than others!

I did history, and got a 2.1 - there certainly would have been time for me to do another job if I'd put the hours in. I worked part time, like most people do.

In my new job the fast majority are workers or with family etc. Its a real big annoying thing when people get granted (above my head) extension due to work commitments. Okay, its a credit crunch time - so can appreciate, but it is supposed to be a "full time" degree. We taylor the course so much so people can work (by cramming the lectures together in 3hour blocks).

What I do find hard to get when doing personal tutoring with these students none have the intention of ever leaving their job - so I am thinking "what you doing the degree for". It seems alot are just doing it for personal satisfaction now, and not career. Good for them I say, but it certainly wasn't the case and my student peers. Although a minority are in jobs related to their degree, all would love to be.

Coco, looking at your record - I was REALLY surprised to see that Scott Dixon is still active. Man I thought he was forced to retire YONKS ago. How was he when you fought him. Boxing in Malta, is that cause of licence issues.