Hats, Handwraps and Headaches

Paddy Fitzpatrick

Description

Hats, Handwraps and Headaches is the inspiring, surprising and sometimes shocking story of Irish boxing coach Paddy Fitzpatrick, a failed pro boxer who was almost a Foreign Legionary before finding fame as a trainer of world-class fighters. After struggling as a young adult and attempting suicide, Paddy's life was transformed by a chance meeting with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. Paddy moved to LA to learn his trade at Roach's Wild Card gym, working with the likes of world champions James Toney and Laila Ali, and spending time with Laila's legendary father Muhammad Ali. Back in England, Paddy used the things he had learnt to take George Groves to three world title fights, including the return super-fight with Carl Froch, which drew 80,000 fans to Wembley Stadium. Filled with astonishing anecdotes - like the time Paddy took shots from a Heavyweight contender and a near-miss with a grizzly bear - Hats, Handwraps and Headaches is funny and poignant in equal measure, with riveting tales from both sides of the Atlantic.

Sujets

• Boxing
• Xian de Boxing

Informations

• Publié par: Pitch Publishing Ltd
• Date de parution: 20 juillet 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781785317101
• Langue: English

Extrait

First published by Pitch Publishing, 2020
Pitch Publishing
A2 Yeoman Gate
Yeoman Way
Durrington
BN13 3QZ
www.pitchpublishing.co.uk
Paddy Fitzpatrick with Lee Simpson, 2020
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the Publisher.
A CIP catalogue record is available for this book from the British Library
Print ISBN 9781785316425
eBook ISBN 9781785317101
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Contents
Foreword
Introduction
1. It s Over - August 2015
2. Paddy
3. Before Professional Boxing Takes Hold
4. El Novio de la Muerte?
5. Freddie Roach and Santa s Grotto
6. Saint George Groves
7. Living and Breathing Boxing in LA
8. Have a Lights Out Day, Baby!
9. Froch v Groves I
10. Crashing Freddie s Car - LA Style!
11. Froch v Groves I - a loss turns to a victory
12. Losing Freddie s Car - LA Style!
13. Froch v Groves - Getting the Rematch
14. Wartime - Vatche Wartanian
15. Froch v Groves II
16. Fighting Females
17. Building back to the top: A visit to GGG
18. I don t want an easy fight
19. Vegas Baby!
20. Time To Go - Leaving George
21. A Million Miles an Hour
22. The Title That Wasn t a Title
23. Putting the Peanuts back in their Shells
24. The Irish Jake La Motta
25. Fight Town
26. Final Thoughts
Paddy:
I would like to dedicate this book to my mam and dad, the most beautiful, loving parents and guides any son could have. My sister, who has always been a light in my life. And to my beautiful chocolate wife, Kerry, and my children.
I would also like to dedicate this book to the memory of one of my closest friends Big Richy Curtis - I miss our talks already. Be cool brother - I love you.
Lee:
I would like to dedicate this book to my beautiful wife Kate and my daughter Evie - the most precious things in my life.
Paddy s thanks go to:
Tommy G and Miss Lynn, for always being there. Freddie Roach for giving me quite possibly my last opportunity to change my life. Dave Amos, thank you for everything, simples . To my Youth - I need you as much as you need me. And to Teach, for how this whole process has developed our friendship into one I really appreciate.
One Love.
Lee s thanks go to:
My wife Kate, without your belief, constant love and support, this book could not have been written. Dominic Salles, a mentor and friend - your advice, encouragement and enthusiasm is always appreciated and valued. Simon Lawson, for listening to me talk endlessly about boxing, and even seeming to enjoy the conversations! You re a top man. To everyone who has contributed to this book and given me their time - I appreciate you. To the Pitch team for all the advice and for believing in this project. And to Paddy, for allowing me into his fascinating life, his friendship, and increasing my peace!
Foreword
Relentless Lamon Tajuan Brewster, world heavyweight champion 2004- 2006 and holder of the fastest knockout in a heavyweight championship fight at 53 seconds versus Poland s Andrew Golota.
TODAY IS 10 April 2020.
I am writing this on the 16th anniversary of the night of 10 April 2004, when we defeated the great heavyweight champion of the era, Wladimir Klitschko, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, which resulted in me becoming the WBO heavyweight champion of the world.
I first met Paddy at Freddie Roach s Wild Card gym in Los Angeles during the late 1990s.
I used to go into the Wild Card every day to train and there was just something about Paddy that was different. I m a big energy person and after being around someone for a while, you start to notice their energy. His energy felt calming to me. I was comfortable with him and his energy made me want to open up to him. Seeing the way he handled people and his positive attitude helped me to take to him as a person, even before I worked with him as a coach. I was living in Los Angeles at the time, and I didn t have any family out there, so the people I met in my life were like my family and Paddy had a beautiful spirit.
I had watched him working with other fighters too. He worked with Laila Ali, who is like a sister to me, and I liked what I saw. So, when the time came for me to fight for the world heavyweight championship, I wanted to make sure that I could put as much gas in my tank as possible to give me the fuel I needed to win this huge fight. Paddy was one of the people who I heavily depended on.
Physically, Paddy really pushed me in my preparations for this fight. He helped me to gain physical strength in a way that improved my mental strength too. He was a coach who focused on the mental side and that was important to me. Mentally, Paddy helped me to open doors that otherwise I might not have opened. Sometimes in life you have to be able to shift into much higher gears in order to accomplish your goals. Paddy made me believe in him and then through this I believed that I could achieve my own goal.
He s a great life coach too. He d say such wonderful things. He had my back and he would get on top of me when I was slacking! He helped me be a better version of myself. And when you have somebody who can do that , well, you can t lose!
This is a book about Paddy s life and let me tell you, he hasn t had it easy. He s been up and he s been down. He s been rich and he s been poor. He s been a friend and he s been a foe. That s powerful because if I m going to go into anything in life, I d rather go with someone who is truly experienced. I want to go with someone who has been on the battlefield. I want someone who knows what it feels like to get knocked down and then have to get right back up again. I want to be with someone who knows what it feels like for others not to believe in you - and yet you still persevere.
Paddy is my brother forever . It don t matter if he s on the other side of the world or if he is right next to me. It don t matter if I see him today or 20 years from now. Paddy is my brother.
Being asked to write the foreword to his book is like being asked to be the godfather of a child. That s how important this story is to me. For me to have this role is an honour because I know how many greats Paddy has worked with - and because Paddy is my friend. It is my hope and my prayer that this book is successful because I want people to understand what perseverance truly is. No matter how down he has been, how much pressure has been put on him, or how hard the challenges life throws at him, Paddy has always come out the other side smiling. This dude is a true warrior.
We made history, me and Paddy. We knocked out a man in Wladimir Klitschko who everyone was afraid of. I didn t go into the ring by myself. Paddy was right there with me. Every muscle movement, every vein in my body, every breath I took, he was with me. Every time I hit that man, he was hitting him there with me. And every time I had to stand up to his punches, Paddy was standing up to them with me.
Paddy helped Lamon Brewster become heavyweight champion of the entire world. Not the western hemisphere, but the world: every continent, every single mountain, every valley and ocean. I became the world champion because the team believed in me. Paddy sacrificed everything for us to achieve this goal. He supported me with my mental headaches when I was down, tired or didn t want to keep working. Paddy kept pushing me shouting, Come on T! You can do it T! Think about your family T! T is what he always calls me.
Paddy taught me to achieve something that most people will never achieve. Few people on Earth can say that they were heavyweight champion of the world - but Lamon Brewster can.
Thank you, Paddy!
I hope you enjoy reading about my friend and his sometimes crazy, other times difficult and often brilliant life.
Peace and God bless you all.
Introduction
Becoming Teach and writing this book
Fitzpatrick s Boxing Gym - March 2017.
The first punch that connects with my face lands on my jaw, exactly between where the mandible connects with the skull bone.
It hurts - a lot .
A bloke called Casper did it. Casper - like the friendly ghost. Later, I learn that what hit me with such force was a right cross - and it was my own fault. I deserved it. One of the best things about boxing, as I quickly found out, was that each painful experience was the fighter s own fault. This was one of the simple beauties of boxing. Because if I was making the mistake and getting hit, I could also learn from the mistake and make an adjustment to prevent getting hit in the first place. Casper had warned me not to let my left hand drop, regardless of how tired I was becoming, and to punctuate his fistic point - he hit me.
Experience , he says, talking to me at the side of the ring as his next sparring partner gets his gear on, is the best way to learn. You won t forget so easily. One of the best things about boxing is that you learn to make adjustments. If you don t, you get hit. It s good motivation, and it helps the fighter not to forget. If you make a mistake in boxing, you re punished. And the punishment is pain.
I didn t forget his lesson. The ache in my jaw lasted for several days afterwards.
I have barely recovered from the physical and emotional onslaught that is squaring up to a fighter a lot more skilful than I am when I hear Casper shout, Hey Teach, don t get too comfortable. You re up again next.
I take a deep breath. Casper is way better at boxing than I am. Even if he is pulling his punches for me, it doesn t feel like it. A