Local boxer gaining international experience

West End

Winnipeg

Isaiah Rock came home from his first two international bouts with valuable lessons he knows will make him a better boxer in the future.

In February, Rock, 23, represented Team Canada at BoxAm in La Nucía, Alicante, Spain, a tournament featuring boxers with Olympic experience. Matched against the seasoned Kazakh fighter Nurzat Ongarov, a former BoxAm medalist, Rock lost a decision, but learned plenty.

“I didn’t know who I was going to fight, but I pictured it in my head,” the West End resident said. “I imagined it would be super uncomfortable and incredibly fast-paced. I overdid it a bit, but generally handled it well.

“At that level, the smallest things really matter,” he added. “The experience plays a role on the international level. I learned that my skills work there, that I can handle the moment. Even when I was about to fight, I felt nothing. It was just a job I had to do.”

Next was the Belgrade Winner event in Obrenovac, Serbia, in May. It, too, featured many Olympic-calibre boxers, but when Rock looked across the ring, he saw a familiar face — Ongarov’s. Rock took the loss in a much closer bout, but gleaned many positives.

“The second time was much better,” Rock said. “When I was in front of him, it didn’t feel as strange. My body was naturally adjusting to what he was doing. I’m disappointed I lost, but I got to see how much I improved in three months against a style like that.”

Team Canada coaches gave Rock some advice to incorporate into his training regimen. Everything matters. When sparring, do it well. Take cardiovascular work seriously. Always manage your weight; that trips up many a boxer.

Power Boxing Club coach Jerome Peters reinforces the positives Rock took from his European experience.

“He improved from the first fight and went back to the second fight and improved more,” Peters said. “He needs to stay in shape with running, work in the gym, and do what they told him to do. That’s where the problem is. How hard are you willing to work to get to the next level? It’s not an easy thing to be on the national team. The big problem is you have to adjust every single time you enter the ring.”

Peters stressed that successful fighters must refine the mental aspects of the sweet science as much as they do the physical.

“You have enough sparring if you want, four or five days a week,” he said. “But it’s not just about throwing punches; you have to try to outsmart the guy so you can use that ability internationally. It’s not about relaxing.”

Peters said that the fact that Rock was called back the second time means Team Canada staff see the positives, too. That likely means two more international bouts this year. Rock expects the first assignment within weeks.

“It’s up to him to put the work in,” Peters concluded.