G-Force

The title and accompanying picture may be leading you to think this blog is about the 2009 Disney film, telling the story about a group of secret agent Guinea pigs, well you’d be wrong, because it’s also the nickname of a young boxer I had the pleasure to interview. In case you didn’t know, I’ve been documenting some of the things I’ve written about in a podcast, would you believe people have actually listened and I took the advice of many and decided to have guests, let’s be honest, who wants to hear just me waffling on. Obviously whoever I talk to has to have some interest or connection to fitness and wellbeing, never did I think my first guest was going to be a professional boxer.

I’ve known George Davey only a short time and found him to be very polite and unassuming, not someone you’d immediately associate with the skills and disposition needed to be a fighter, though after watching a couple of his bouts on You Tube, I realised that he certainly possesses those skills to take him far in the ring. Up to now he’s had eleven fights, two of which he’s won by TKO, So how did I manage to get him to come and chat to me, I honestly have no idea but I’m very grateful he did. It only lasted 50 mins but felt so much longer and I was able to learn much about his life, what drove him and the respect he has for those that have helped him, including his trainer, former European super middleweight champion Henry Wharton.

Knowing Henry as I do, it’s clear his influence is showing in George’s attitude, but it’s not fair to take away the fact that much of the way he see’s his future, comes from within himself. Nothing was above being talked about and I learned a lot about what it’s like to be a boxer, including how he deals with those pre fight nerves. We discussed his nickname and other options, including the one he nearly chose, Gorgeous George, which I suppose he would have been entitled to use, I do however have another suggestion. There was a famous heavyweight in the late 19th, early 20th century called James Corbett, he was the first champion under the Marquess of Queensbury rules and the only one to defeat John L Sullivan, who at the time was considered unbeatable. After his win, Corbett was known as “the man who beat the man”. I’ve got a feeling that George Davey could one day take a title the same way and I urge anyone who loves their boxing to give him a follow and support him, not only because he’s a great fighter but because he lives up to James Corbett’s nickname “Gentlemen”.

If you want to have a listen to our conversation you can find it on my podcast page.