Tough Cookie in Brooklyn
Vardagsliv och träningPosted by Anna Ingman Fri, September 19, 2008 01:35:22
I have arrived in the true boxing Mecca. This is an amazing place; the tough but very warm boxing-gym on Front Street in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. This is truly a smelting pot that could symbolise the multicultural New York and all it's citizens. Everyone within these walls are equal; businessmen, lawyers, teenagers, unemployed and professionals, and they all share the same burning passion for the same brutal but still beautiful sport: -boxing.I have been here not more than 4 days, and I feel like a family-member already. My trainer Mark Breland is one of the most calm and quietly confident trainers I have ever had. I can barely hear his commands in the ring but when I get a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye while sparring I know exactly what he wants me to do. Just be seeing his gentle and calm gestures; overhand right, uppercut with the right, finishing off with a left hook, left jab followed by left hook... well, we got it off well in just a few sessions and today I had the wonderful opportunity to spar with his very successful boxer Jorge Teron. He is a KO-boxer with 22-0 as professional and 3 consecutive Golden Gloves golds.. See this piece from You Tube. An amazing boxer and a very humble man. Just like his trainer Mark Breland.
Yesterday I had the great pleasure of sparring with light welterweight GBU world champion and very experienced Belinda Laracuente. She's up against Ann-Sophie Mathis in october and we spar well and tough together. I have all my sparrings recorded by professional photograhers and they interviewed Mark afterwards and he said that he was surprised by my boxing. He said that he knew I was good, but I had surprised him! I was happy that I managed to do some of the techniques we practised the day before and I wasn't thinking much about them as it was hardcore sparring and high tempo, but it came naturally.. I smiled the whole evening just by the thought of impressing the legend himself... But I tell you; he IS the most humble man. One cannot believe that he is so calm and down-to-earth with his amazing carrier. But that is the atmosphere among all Gleason's champions and trainers. They are true champions, friendly and dedicated.
There has been a lot of media these days. Even the American media has shown interest and today my sparring and training was filmed for a New York TV-station. Being a blond swede called Anna speaking with swedish accent is probably the thing here.. haha...
From NY with love!
/Anna Valkyria
aka
Tough Cookie (nickname by Big John Douglas)
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