By Carlena Knight
Trainer and coach, Anthony Severin, of Uprising Boxing Gym, does not agree with international critics who believe that post the coronavirus pandemic, the sport will lose numbers due to the stigma of the virus.
He believes that things will go back to normal and it will be business as usual for the sport.
“No, I don’t think that will happen. Once we have gone clear of this virus, I think we can go back to playing the sport. We are the warrior type; you know, the gladiator type, so I don’t think we are going to back down because this is what’s going on. When it is given, the all clear, and we have gotten control over this virus, then we will go back to all of our sports as usual.”
The former boxer says that although the gym is closed in keeping with the social distancing rules implemented personal at home training is still being encouraged for his athletes in complying with the rules.
He is adamant that although everything is on a pause in the country that the athletes at the lone boxing gym in the country must push forward, keep focused and in shape.
“Yeah, well we keep going. We keep being consistent. We keep working hard and I mean we have to take a pause now, right now, because of what’s going on, but I always tell the youngsters we have to keep focused and we have to stay ready so when the opportunity comes, we are ready. We get ready right now, so even through this pandemic, we are kind of bobbing and weaving through what’s going on and making lemonade from limes. We have to learn to adapt when it comes to the sport of boxing. You can’t just be one dimensional, you have to be able to adjust and make the relevant arrangements to make sure you end up on top.
“For right now we didn’t want to be a part of the problem, so we are on a well-deserved break. We want to follow the laws and maintain the social distancing so they stay at home and do their own thing.”
Severin while being featured on the Good Morning JoJo Sports Show on Wednesday shared his plans for his gym post corona.
“Well, definitely we are going forward with our plans and our plan is to get boxing more out there in the public; we want to do a little bit more on the road and go to different communities and do boxing exhibitions, the guys are ready. One of the most challenging things we have is that we don’t have other gyms that’s functioning and have other boxers; so all the time the guys have to be sparring with the guys from the same gym.
“Somehow we need to get some support to be able to invite a few other regional countries to come and participate in an event so that it can be of a higher level so that the guys can improve,” he said.