Lifestyle
Meet the Woolton boxer who’s turning doubters into believers – in themselves
1 day ago
A former pro-boxer is using the discipline of the sport to get people mentally and physically fitter.
Mike Minard, from Woolton, runs Doubter to Believer Boxing Experience, an eight week boxing experience in which he says he can take people from doubters to believers – in themselves; gaining skills and strengths that they can use in their everyday lives.
The 31-year-old pulls no punches when he describes the effort he says participants will need to put in: “It is tough,” he says.
But he adds: “They’ll come out of the other side as better people: fitter, stronger, more confident and positive.”
And no-one is more delighted than Mike himself: “It’s so fulfilling.
“I feel so proud because these people have gone on a journey and come through it, but it’s my journey too. I’ve gone through it with them.
“And when I see them raise their hand at the end of an exhibition tournament, celebrating what they’ve achieved, that’s powerful.”
Mike got into boxing as a young lad, when his dad thought it would be good training for the talented footballer who was on the books of Blackpool FC and played goalie for Liverpool Boys.
But he discovered a new talent when he thrived as a boxer too after joining St Aloysius Boxing Club.
After boxing for clubs across the city, Mike fought for the Navy where he was a seaman specialist for two years from 2013, and turned boxing pro in 2021.
“But it’s an unforgiving sport and one that was just too unstable for me,” admits Mike. “I enjoyed the sport, the training and what it can do for people, but not what went on in the background. I had two professional fights as a light heavyweight and won both, but I could also turn up for a fight and have my opponent pull out – and I decided it wasn’t for me.”
Already enjoying a career as a coach and private fitness trainer and running smaller boxing events with his pre-lockdown company Action Charity Boxing ‘which had LFC on board’ before he turned pro, Mike decided to re-commit to helping other people better themselves using the skills that can be learned and earned from the sport, rebranding to the Doubter to Believer Boxing Experience.
“The joy that you can get out of boxing, and the positive benefits, are huge,” he says. “So I packaged them up and that’s what I provide to people now with Doubter to Believer.
“I want to give people an experience, eight weeks of boxing training leading to an exhibition tournament at the end. I help people with their lifestyle, their nutrition, sleep, and get stuck into self-development through boxing – with safety always at its core.”
Mike takes on up to 24 people of any age – as long as they’re over 18 – at a time. Each person gets a training programme as well as one-to-one sessions with Mike at Woolton Fitness For All. He also holds classes in which everyone involved takes part twice a week at KMX Fitness in Anfield.
“We look at footwork drills and hand defences and punches until I’m sure everyone is competent in those,” says Mike, “before moving to conditional sparring in the ring, with the headguard on and 16oz gloves.
“Boxing is a psychological and emotional sport, but we teach people to disconnect when they are in the ring. That’s one of the elements of discipline in boxing, to control your anger and apply what you’ve been taught in a super-safe manner.
“I tell people to congratulate themselves every day for putting themselves into a superficially unsafe environment – because their subconcious doesn’t know it’s superficial – and in an uncomfortable position, because you can only grow when you come through that.
“So you will be physically fitter and mentally fitter too.”
The experience culminates in an exhibition tournament like the one being held at Fletcher’s Marquee at Allerton Manor this Saturday.
Participants will take part in three two-minute rounds per match.
One of those this weekend will be Heather Robinson who, at 60, is the oldest person taking part.
She says: “It has been an amazing experience so far, and it’s going to be an incredible event this weekend with family and friends of team members celebrating the achievement of each and every one of us as we get in the ring for the exhibition fight.
“At my age exercise is so important, and I had no idea that boxing offers so much of what we need – strength, speed, coordination, agility, cardio, flexibility, and mobility; and mentally you are always thinking and planning what you’ll do next and trying to predict what your partner will do.
“Mike is very much for building community (and every team member is so lovely) and about us learning good technique and looking professional in the ring – and it’s great to learn the basics of a sport that until now I had never even thought about.”
Heather adds: “This has made such a difference to me. I walk out of a session feeling exhausted but stronger and happier. I’m nervous about the fight but looking forward to it.”
Mike says: “To take a jab and ride past it, and to learn to believe in yourself is an asset you can take into all walks of life and is a reward in itself.
“It makes you believe you can do anything you put your mind to.
“It’s a huge achievement. When I see people take part in the exhibition match I flash back to when they first came to me, and maybe didn’t believe what I was saying they could do. But I know how they’re feeling, what they’re thinking, and that they’ll realise all the hard work is worthwhile.
“When they celebrate in that ring in that final match, everyone’s natural reaction is to smile and look over at me. And I smile back to say ‘I told you’.
“That’s amazing.”
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