Looking to learn self defense and find a healthy hobby, sophomore Gavin Wilson took a liking to boxing. Him and his fellow boxer, junior Dylan Burgess, have learned many things and become closer ever since they started boxing together. After being introduced to boxing by friends, Wilson explained why he decided to continue pursuing it.
“I really didn’t have a specific reason for why I started boxing,” Wilson said. “It has always kind of been an interest of mine and since some of my friends did it, I decided to do it with them. I have always wanted to learn how to defend myself so boxing just felt right. I fell in love with boxing after the first day of hitting the heavy bag.”
Similarly to Wilson, Burgess got into boxing through his older friend. Burgess has continued to box due to the discipline it provided him.
“I started boxing with my older friend who does lots of martial arts and I thought boxing would be fun,” Burgess said. “The reason I stuck with boxing was because It keeps me disciplined and humble. Plus it builds confidence in myself.”
Going to the gym everyday, Wilson described what his daily workout routine looks like.
“A typical day in the gym for me consists of going to the open sparring sessions, talking to my friends and figuring out who I’m going to spar that day,” Wilson said. “Then I put on my hand wraps and my gloves. I warm up on the heavy bag for around eight minutes, take one more break then I hop into sparing. I spar for as long as I can then go home.”
Burgess explained the importance of having a sparring partner during practices.
“Sparring partners are able to test each other in the ring which is the best way to improve,” Burgess said. “It’s nice to have a sparring partner because they are able to still give you fighting experiences without hurting you. Building these bonds is one of the main reasons I’ve stuck with boxing.”
Overall, Wilson expressed how he focused more on the health benefits of boxing rather than the competitive side.
“I mostly box for fun, I don’t really compete. I just don’t feel like entering tournaments or anything like that,” Wilson said. “I believe that boxing has a ton of benefits for my physical and mental health and I box more for that reason instead.”
