After nearly two years away from the ring, Kieran Gething looks to get back in the swing of things against Josh Cook. If you remember my review of his book Insight, Gething went through hell only to come up with a split draw in a boxing tournament. After a litany of injuries, he’s looking to become a new boxer with what his body is giving him.
Check out our video and podcast of this interview with Gething below!
With his last fight being such a disappointment to Gething, being sidelined off the result for so long adds insult to injury (pun intended). While Kieran Gething says he wasn’t down right depressed, to day he was happy wouldn’t be true either.
“I don’t think I would go far to say that I was depressed but I had ups and downs just like everyone does through those moments. What really cut me with the surgery was the uncertainty of it and the cost as well.” Gething continues, “My family has helped me along as well as my sponsors so I’m really grateful for them.”
Kieran Gething And The Path Back To Boxing
Getting back to boxing wasn’t easy. After surgery on his arm, Kieran Gething had a rough time getting a fight between the surgery and another injury that required injury.
“I thought that I would just get in really great shape and be ready at a week’s notice. Then I took a rib injury there and that really got me down. I piled on a bunch of weight. It took me out for like two months.”
The mental aspect of making it back to boxing off two injuries and two years out was taxing as well. Getting back in the swing of things after the injuries caused by boxing really puts doubt in the back of ones mind. But Gething says he’s taken that change in his body to become an entire new boxer.
“Just after April I was easing myself back in. I was doing rounds with some younger guys, lighter guys. I was just moving and getting the arm moving. Then a couple of times I was like, ‘Ah, I’ve extended it. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.’ But after the rib injury I sat down and thought that I was either getting injured all the time or I was getting soft. I feel like I’m getting back to how I was a couple of years ago. I’m a little more ruthless with the training. I said a recently I want to be a bit more economical with my punching. I want to keep a high work rate but I want to throw the punches that count.”
As I discussed in From Good To Great: Kamaru Usman and From Good to Great: Where Chris Weidman Fell Short As An All Time Great, working with what your body gives you is paramount to longevity in a contact sport, be it boxing, MMA, or hockey. Gething says he’s going through just that. The Welshman says he’s changed from a banger to someone who is more methodical in the boxing ring.
“I’m not always going to be able to throw 1000 [punches] a round. So, when I get a little bit older, I’ve got to be able to adapt and be economical with my punching. I’ve got to be able to slip a jab and hit him with a solid right hand, not just throw five punches at them afterwards. Age is a big factor in how you develop and hopefully I’m developing the right way.”
Kieran Gething and Cook go at it in just a few days time. Gething is looking to get this four rounder under his belt to get back in the winning column, even though he’s not coming off of a loss. Then he aims to return for a bigger fight by the end of the year!
