Boxing

 

The Thrill of a Lifetime

Ron DiMichele

26.02 - Go ahead, admit it. YOU’RE JUST LIKE ME! You’ve won the heavyweight crown a hundred times, cleaned out the division from top to bottom, in fact, you’ve never lost a fight……in your dreams! A sportswriter once wrote that as a boy, he won the middleweight championship of the world every night before falling asleep. Well, Doug Glazier, a 48-year old television cameraman from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, took it to the next level.

"I was working out at Gold’s Gym," recalls Glazier. "Lifting weights, trying to get in shape. I happened to glance into the aerobics room one day and saw a group of people boxing." Glazier decided to give it a try and soon developed a passion for the sport.

"It’s an absolute blast!" says Glazier. "And I’m in the best shape of my adult life."

After a year of training at area gyms, often up to six days a week, the married, father of two, entered the competitive amateur ranks. He won his first two bouts before signing up for the 2003 Golden Gloves competition as a Master’s Division (35 and older) heavyweight.

"In the Golden Gloves Masters Division, any person you fight needs to be within 5 years of your own age," explains Glazier, 201 lbs. "And before you’re allowed to fight, you need to pass a battery of medical tests." Glazier says the pool of Master’s Division fighters is small. This explains why his very first Golden Gloves bout was in the New England finals.

His opponent in the championship match before a packed Lowell Auditorium (Lowell, MA) was Doug Yoffee of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Yoffee, also an undefeated heavyweight, happens to be put together like a granite block.

"I felt very relaxed entering the ring," says Glazier. "I thought the ring introductions were very nice." Then the bell rang, and something happened…

"I just froze," explains Glazier, who admits to very little athletic experience in his life. "It was the enormity of the situation. Here I am in the championship bout with a guy who is very big and strong, very tough with lots of experience. It all combined to give me a sense of dread. For the very first time ever I found myself thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing here? This is the biggest mistake of my life!’"

At the bell, Glazier and Yoffee moved to the center of the ring and mixed it up a bit, Yoffee looking to work inside and Glazier having trouble getting his shots off.

"I was trying to tell my feet to move, but they weren’t going along with it," reports Glazier. "Once I realized my body was not cooperating with my brain, I allowed myself to give in to panic, terror, and doubt."

Midway through the first round, a sweeping left hand caught Glazier near the top of the head.

Down goes Glazier!
Down goes Glazier!
Down goes Glazier!

"I was mad at myself more than anything else," says Doug. "I made the mistake of getting my feet squared up and was off balance when I got hit."

Glazier immediately rose from the canvas, clearly unhurt by the glancing blow.

"Between the first and second rounds, my corner told me I needed to throw more punches. In the second, I started to mount more of an offense."

Glazier got the jab working in the second round, but the burly Yoffee continued to push forward.

"My opponent had a very powerful right which he loved to throw. When I blocked it with my left, I could feel its power. I remember thinking to myself, ‘If this guy hits me, it could be lights out.’"

Yoffee trapped Glazier in a corner and started to unload.

"He threw a big right hand," explains Glazier. "I tried to go under it, which was a mistake. He ended up catching me on the top of the head, and I felt my legs wobbling."

Glazier stayed on his feet but received a standing eight-count. The remainder of the match was evenly contested with Doug Yoffee earning the decision.

"I was disappointed in my performance because I knew I had more skill and ability than I showed that night," says Glazier. "I realize it was my state of mind that really did me in."

And your opponent?

"He was excellent," says Glazier. "He was clearly the better boxer. He kept himself disciplined."

Does Doug Glazier intend to continue with his boxing career?

"Absolutely," he says with a smile. "I emailed Yoffee saying I definitely look forward to a rematch."

With the cyber-gauntlet thrown down, Doug Glazier shared further thoughts on his boxing experience.

"It’s a remarkable sport. It’s the ultimate test of not only your skill and endurance, but of your fortitude. To climb through the ropes and actually do it really takes a lot, but it’s the thrill of a lifetime."

Doug Glazier deserves all the credit in the world for the discipline and courage he has shown in pursuing the sport of boxing. His solid skills reflect his hard work. Glazier has excellent footwork and defensive ability to go along with a good jab and sneaky left hook. He clearly loves the sport of boxing, both as a fan and a participant.

"I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of the people who are behind the scenes and give so much of themselves to this game. It’s a real community, and I’m proud to be a member of it. I’m going to continue until I’m too decrepit to do it."

Ron DiMichele's email address is: rondimi@yahoo.com

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