New Photos Just come in from Photographer

Focused on the job at hand 

 and he's down

Thank you to Genitha for presenting on behalf of Yellow

Now I feel better

On the Night

my fight which unfortunately only lasted 52 seconds, i was up against a great contender who was the better fighter on the night! (I have the war wounds to show for it, i am pretty sure i got some good ones in myself before i went down!)


I am pleased with the money my fundraising team raised for Pillars and I will be following up with Pillars what the money is used for.
Pillars is a fantastic organisation and I am extremely proud of all the efforts of my fundraising team.


I would also like to thank all of the Yellow team who came and supported me on the night, the atmosphere was amazing and you were all so supportive which was great thanks!
Also thank you to all the Yellow team who supported me through out this journey.


Bruce Cotterill CEO of Yellow is and extremely generous man and has been right behind this cause and I would like to thank him very much.


Big Thanks to my boxing trainers Bryan Barry and Garey Burgess for getting the most out of what they were given. I learnt so much from you guys and loved you guys pushing me around to get the best out of me


And last but not least a very big thank you to my family, especially my 15 year old twin sons, who came to trainings with me and encouraged me all the way.


I am very proud to have been a part of fight for youth and would encourage anyone to give it a go
I am telling you this isn't easy this is very real and as you have seen by Corey and my posts the training is hard but it is a fantastic adventure to be on with wonderful rewards along the way especially to raise money for a wonderful organisation please go to www.pillars.org.nz to see the great work they do to help youth.


Also Kristin O'Halloran in our online team and Tamina Roberts our Content Manager won second and third in the Events "Fashion in the Ring". Well done girls you looked Owesome 

Me and Verna (founder of Pillars) just after the fight

Kristin O'Halloran and Tamina Roberts Winning Second and Third!! Well done Girls you both looked beautiful!!

Fight Night .

He was ready and excited , his Name is called out and he walks into the ring , They stand in their corners ready to fight , The bell rings and they're into it , Both Throwing Punches , Then 48 secs into the 1st round Philip is Jabbed in the side of the Gut then As He Bends down he gets a left hook to the face , 52 secs into the 1st Round . And the match is over . Lost By K.O .
It was all for Charity
and he raised Alot of money For "pillars".
Still Really proud he had the Guts to get into the ring with That Huge Beast .
Good On Ya , We're All proud .

Sorted for Fight Night

Had the weigh in Last night And I came in at 92.2 Kgs and my opponent came in at 95kgs which was a big effort cause 6 weeks ago he weighed in at 102 kgs 


I have trained for 6 weeks solid, I have lived and breathed Yellow and boxing with very little family time in between I have tried to get them involved where possible 
Tonight I will have my 15 year old Twin Sons Corey and Jordan walk me out to the ring
My fight is the second fight out of 9 fights
Am I nervous? Just a little at the moment.
I'm sure I'll be a bundle of nerves and adrenaline come ring time


I would like to thank all the companies that have donated product and all the people who have donated money, I really appreciate your support, you are all just Orsum
Toni, Sarah, Kym, Lea and Jason I am so extremely thankful for all your fundraising efforts you have all done a fantastic job and I would have not been able to achieve any where near what we have achieved in Dollars and product without you guys
I would like also to thank Travis for a great job on the web work and heading the raffle tickets in the Auckland office
Finally I would like to thank Bruce Cotterill and all the Yellow staff for all the encouraging support, it has been truly overwhelming and I am proud to be apart of such a great bunch of Colleagues nationwide


 Philip R

The Week Before The Fight .

Philip had 2 more intense trainings before he softly trains before the fight this Fight . 

He Had the best Sparing Session he ever had on Sunday morning , And he is truly ready for the fight .

Hes come very far since the start of this 6 week training , He couldn't Throw a punch properly and he couldn't last 1 round .

Now he throws good punches , and he knows what to do , he can last 3 rounds and makes great shots .

Hes Now ready for the fight .. Cant wait .

 

2 weeks to go

Wow not long to go now, realization is starting to kick in

The past week has been more intense in the ring and at fitness training

We are in our last week of intense Training and next week we will start slowing it down to be more explosive on Fight Night... Well thats the plan

It's gonna be weird not getting up at 5 to go to training, my body clock automatically wakes me up at that time

At this stage I think I will keep up the fitness training after the fight, I am feeling so much better and I am not needing my Nana naps in the afternoon in the weekends anymore, I use to be a shocker for those

The official weigh in is at The Casino November 25^th at 6.30pm – 7.30pm. I will be weighed in, then I line up for a “face off” photo. 


All are welcome to come down to the casino and support or see what happens at events like these

IMPORTANT FINAL MEDICAL: I will have to undergo a final medical with a F4Y doctor before I fight. I CANNOT fight without this. The doctor will be at Cowles stadium on Fight night. 

So the next post will be the last before the Night and one more after the fight

Corey will be able to post them then.. he has exams at the moment so he needs time to study

Corey is chomping at the bit to come to my next sparring session to see how I have progressed

Week 4

Corey is Sick so I am putting in a post instead

Well I’m well under way in the training programme and the support from Yellow and all the other company's that have sent us product has been over whelming
Seems every day a different set of muscles hurt, but I am taking it in my stride, Mentality I’m thinking that its part of the Sport and this is bound to happen.
I really love the experience as a whole It’s amazing that 4 weeks ago I got off the couch and stubbed out my last cigarette to train for a sport that can potentially knock me out.

At my Strength and conditioning classes they have introduced Kettlebells (they look like a cannonball with a handle) and after the first time using those, man they hit your back muscles, I had a sore back for a couple of days on Monday we did a whole hour on the kettlebells. The exercise with them is both hands on the bell and swing between your legs the use your hips to swing it back up to chest height  , then we had to squats holding the bells it up my chest then lunges 2mins each. on Monday we worked with 12kg bells. Wednesday morning the Kettlebells were at 20kgs we had to do pretty much the same as Monday but we had a 40kg sledge I had to tow behind me for 2 mins

Then go to a 20 kg sand bag and thrust that above our heads for 2mins but must do a minimum of 20 thrusts then to the heavy basketball, its not a medicine ball cause it can bounce a little, so I have to slam it to the ground so it can bounce to my chest then throw it above my head for 2 mins then straight to the kettlebell to do the snatch (illustrated) 

I do that for one minute per arm then do the two arm kettlebell and lastly the 15kg sand bag thrust, far out I almost threw that up in the air after working with 20kg’s before. Once we have done all that we have a one minute break an do it all again but the other way round, just to make it exciting
I am learning a great deal from my boxing coach he has been showing me how to take a punch to the head, got my first bloody nose last night, that stopped me in my tracks for a few seconds
I am feeling fitter and stronger than ever before, all that strength workout I am doing, I can feel the strength in my core muscles, my shoulders are thickening as well which is putting more power in my punch
My Coach has put me on the right road to get me fighting fit on Fight night and I am loving the whole experience

I have just been sent a video interview that I had on my first week into the programme, you can view it by clicking HERE and clicking on the 10^th video

Not the face Not the face!!!

Week Been ...

Philip has had a tough week with early morning Fitness and late night boxing/fitness ( including his own training ).
This week the morning trainings have tested his mind and body , He has gained a load of muscle and is More fit than before.
His Boxing Training is ALSO testing his fitness and his power Behind his punch.
He is learning the proper Stance and how to punch properly .
Hes learnt to take a few hits so he's prepared for the day of the fight, During a training session he took a punch to the kidney, it didn't hurt at first but the pain kicked in later on in the night.
In the short time hes been training his punches seem to be more powerful and straight.
He has just started learning about shots to the head,
His training is working and it'll sure show on the night of the fight.

Monday 18th October

Today tested Philip Both physically and mentally, He woke up at 5.15 a.m for a 6.00a.m training at Les Mills, During that training he was made to have a 20kg sandbag on his shoulders while he kneels down then back up 25 times , then 20 times etc etc, going down in 5's.
Then in-between each 5 was 25 burpeys and 25 press ups , then going down in 5's.
After all that he had to goto work for the day then had a 5.30 fitness and boxing training .
As soon as he got to the gym he was made to get into the ring and warm up then have a hit at the pads.
5 minutes later and its on .. Him against His trainer , 3, 1 minute rounds , hitting from the shoulder down.
Each round wore Philip down and he got more tired and more tired .
It got to the 3rd round and he was just about ready to give up when his trainer Urged him to keep it up.
He kept his gloves up and his Shoulders High and Carried on .
His trainer told him that the mind always gives up before the body and that "all fights are won in the mind".
After all of those intense rounds he went on to do some more fitness .. with ab work outs and having a go on the punching bag it was all Crucial training before his match on the 26th of November .
He'd been training all week long , even at home in the garage, and he has Certainly got more fit from Where he had started .
The training may be killing him, but when it comes to fighting on the 26th he'll be ready.

Training / Photo Shoot, Oct 9

Today was a long tough day for Philip , 10 a.m Training till 11 a.m .
It tested his fitness and made him work hard.
He was working on his lower Abs By Holding his legs 18 inch's above the floor while lying on his back , then went down to 12 inch's  then 6 inches.
He spent alot of time on the punching bag and the floor .
After training he went to A Fight for youth Photo Shoot , While at that, he met his Opponent "Phil Le Poidevin"
They had some photos Together , and Individual photos. Group Photos Were Taken , Plus Everyone was video'd While Shadow Boxing , And punching the punching Bag.
Everyone was interviewed , with questions asked like ,
what is your charity ?
What do they do ?
And Philip Made it an easy interview for them.
Philip Had to do a weigh in . His Weight Was 91.7.
His Opponent Weighs alot more than him and has to lose a bit of weight.
But Philip Is Hoping  to gain weight Due To a increase In Muscle Throughout His Body.
At the End of the Day he Was Stuffed But is still determined to raise the most money for his charity "pillars" and also Beat Phil In The Ring.