29/06/17

It's been crazy time since I last posted here and with university coming to an end, time has completely flown by.

Thank you for following my journey so far, I have recently moved over to 2firs.com.

I created this online publication to showcase all of my work.

I hope you like it.

-2firs

05/11/16

Katie Taylor Turning Pro Has Got People Annoyed.

Story by @ChandlerWaller.

So I'm sitting here when I should have started cleaning my shithole of a house but instead I decided to write an article after looking at idiotic comments on Twitter.

For those of you who don't know, Katie Taylor signed with Matchroom Boxing recently. The successful amateur won gold at the Olympics, 5 golds at the World championships, 6 golds at the European championships, 5 golds at the European Union Championships and one at the European games. I think its fair to say that she's been a very successful amateur and we should wish her all the best in her professional career.

But Oh no, we have to watch Women's boxing...

Scrolling through Twitter like.

That's essentially the jist I got after scrolling through Twitter today. One user referred to the announcement as "So there's gonna be less real boxing on Matchroom shows to fit in woman's boxing? Terrible news". You sir, (with the nicest language because my mother will read this) are a c***, sorry mum had to be done.

Apparently gender defines 'real' boxing.

Why anyone would feel the need to make a comment like that is beyond me. Perhaps the dog in his profile picture didn't get the chance to go pro. Nobody knows but on no level is it acceptable to say women's boxing does not fit under 'real boxing'.

One Amateur congratulated Katie on turning professional with one of the best boxing promotions in the country. Which is a huge move for women's boxing, as an avid watcher of Matchroom events, I can't say I've ever seen women's boxing featured, so good on you Eddie!

"Thoughts on topless boxing, Shannon?"

Yes because out of all the things you could have replied, you chose that... Seriously were these people dropped at birth? Thankfully and in good style, she came back with a fire response.

                       You go girl!

I'm going to go and relieve my anger with cleaning.

Katie Taylor makes her professional debut on the 26th November on Sky Sports.

-2firs.
*Side Note: Was meant to be published on The Tab but now its becoming outdated.

07/10/16

Oh, Tyson Fury.

Story by @ChandlerWaller

Tyson Fury, the man who beat the man who no one could beat. Injury, mental health

Sourced from here.

problems and now drugs, set aside his rematch with Klitschko and people cannot stop talking about. I decided it would be time to voice my own useless opinions and thoughts, besides I'm bored af.

He accomplished what no one else could do, he's the entertaining sportsman that most people hate. From sexist views to snorting lines of cocaine, there really is only one Tyson Fury. 

The long awaited rematch was cancelled twice, once for injury and the other his supposable mental health problems. People are getting in a bit of a tiddle about it. As a boxing fan, I wanted to see the rematch but let's be honest the first one was like chewing on a toenail. Boring, pointless and upsetting. I didn't take much notice of the first time he pulled out due to injury, I rather enjoyed seeing clips of him partying whilst the World Cup was on.

It was the second time he pulled out of the rematch that got me. I started to think Tyson Fury with mental health problems started to make A LOT of sense. 

Quite honestly I think he's a bit of a nutcase.

Sourced from here.

I knew there had to be something, I knew something in his mind wasn't right. He talks about mind games and playing with his opponents but was he just playing them with himself? I try to remember how he acted when he won the heavyweight crown from Klitschko and for a brief moment, he seemed normal. Then he started to sing 'Aerosmith - I don't wanna miss a thing'.

I would happily do a few lines of coke with you on a Saturday evening, but I'm a twenty year old unemployed blogger so I have nothing to lose. If I was in Tyson Fury's position with a wife, kids and in a job that tests you for drugs, I'm pretty certain I'd leave it alone.

Tyson Montana. Of course Tyson tried to make it a joke, he can't exactly get any lower now can he? He reposted the pictures on Twitter and I just know Tyson couldn't give a s***.

I don't know why I accepted he 'retired', I just really thought it was true.

Sourced from here.

Tyson Fury is the biggest troll I have ever seen. As soon as I heard that he was trying to fool the media by saying he was retiring, I completely understood. That's him 100%. But I'm always forgetting about his 'mental health' status.

He also seems to think that gypsies are a race. Again it could be a trick. But I genuinely think gypsies believe they are a race. According to information I found out a few years ago, my ancestors were gypsies. Let's state that I do not think I'm part gypsy. I've never considered it a race, but Tyson Fury on the other hand does. 

Then came the I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here announcement that Fury could be joining the candidates. Mentally unstable... Jungle for 30 days... His team said "it would be a good boost for his career."

I'm so f***ing done.

-2firs

04/06/16

Just Let Your Hands Go.

Story by @ChandlerWaller

Photography by +Nina Bejany 

Gloves - Loaded
Pads - RKA/MNS
Vest - USS Pro Precision
Joggers - Serge DeNimes

I remember my first training session of boxing. Hungover from a night out in Leicester Square, up early and the shock of my life for fitness. But surprisingly even though I felt like melted butter, I was instantly hooked.

I think we are the odd generation that just likes to punch stuff, nowadays friends are asking me how to punch properly. Two years ago, I wouldn't have a flipping clue how to punch properly as the only person who taught me was a Rangers fan.

But in my year of boxing, I find it such an entertaining sport that has more respect than any other. I'm glad that I decided to take up the sport because now, I can't imagine my life without it.

I enjoy staying up till four in the morning to watch a good fight.

There's no feeling like it, whilst everyone is fast asleep or just getting back from a night out and you hear me scream because of a devastating knockout. Sorry housemates.

But that aside, I had no clue where to start for what to buy for my future

boxing sessions. Mouthguard? Who needs a mouthguard? The complete difference you realise when you change from standard running trainers to trainers designed for boxing. The coolness you get from wearing a Dri-Fit.

I was a complete rookie at the start.

I soon found out, what I needed to buy to take up boxing and I got interested in the sport a hell lot more. I started watching different fighters from different weight classes who I had never heard of before. I'd research them before the fight and watch previous fights. I looked at fights of the century, studying the careers of boxers like Mike Tyson, Artruro Gatti, Muhammad Ali and Chris Eubank. Doing all of this set me up to go and buy what I needed.

If you can afford a punchbag, then by all means do, they're great for training. Best to stick to ones that go on the floor though, you don't want to ruin your ceiling... If you're just starting

out, I wouldn't recommend getting the flashiest gloves that you can find. It's not necessary, my gloves are from Loaded. Remember that magazine? I couldn't believe it, it made me laugh. I've had them for almost a year and they have served me well.

Pads can be picked up from a really cheap price. I'd like to say the quality matters but nah. Anything you're punching the s**t out of will eventually break. Of course you'll need someone to hold the pads for you, which I eventually persuaded my housemate to do. I honestly thought when I bought a Nike Dri-Fit, it was going to change my life. So many good reviews and positive comments! It's alright... I still sweat like a pig and I suppose it dries some of it.

My shorts are still standard ones that I've had for god knows how long. Do Nike still do that 90 collection? After being somewhat disappointed with the Nike Dri-Fit I was convinced to not rush into buying a pair of Exo Twin Skin Shorts. 

What I'm most happy with are my boxing trainers, a present actually from a friend for my 20th Birthday. (Yeah I'm getting old). Aside from getting a blister the first time, I have so much more control and speed with my footwork, I absolutely love them, thank you Nina my darling.

Now go and practice your jab.

You've got your shopping list, I made it as cheap as possible (obviously). Just enjoy the boxing guys and girls, we've accomplished so much recently and its so interesting to follow someone's career.

Well, I guess I'm gonna go and find myself a job for the summer. Boxing blogs, hit me up ;)
-2firs

#RIPAli. Sadly hearing about the death of Muhammad Ali today, it would be wrong to not mention him in this post. He is an inspiration to millions of people for what he did in and out of the ring. May he now be at peace after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. We love you Ali and we always will.

09/05/16

The Defeat Will Make You Stronger

Story by @ChandlerWaller

Photography by Peter Lindbergh

We live our lives, day by day doing what we do to make us stronger human beings. But at times in life, we need to be in the deepest place to really appreciate life. When we get knocked down, we get back up and that is what makes us as human beings so much stronger.

I remember hearing a story about my grandfather. Whilst in the army, someone knocked him down. They told him to get up. But my classic grandfather simply replied "if I get up, you're just going to knock me down again."

We're an intelligent species, our confidence will grow throughout our lives as we make the right decisions. Sometimes, you need that knock down to bring you back up and realise the important things in life.

Let us now look at the Chris Eubank Jr and Nick Blackwell boxing match. For those of you who don't know the story, let me begin. 

The British title means a lot for some people and especially the Eubanks. Going from World championship fights to British level was meant to be an easy, straight forward fight. With devastating blows, Blackwell was taking unnecessary punishment. By the 7th round, Chris Eubank Sr informed his young fighter that throwing punches to the head was unnecessary at this stage. The fight continued on until Blackwell could no longer continue due to a closed eye. But it was later confirmed that Blackwell had received a bleed on the brain. Induced into a coma for two weeks. Luckily, after that he awoke. Deciding to retire from boxing but to still be involved in the sport. 

No one walks away.

But similar to these defeats in life, we will always awake in strive of finding our self confidence. Many of us aspire to achieve greatness, to use our confidence as a stepping stone to amassing our full potential. Confidence will always be a part of us, it is just a matter of building it up so you feel invincible. If you get knocked down, you get back up and keep moving forward. 

Fall down seven, stand up eight.

With defeat comes victory. You'll always find yourself looking for a way to get where you want to be. Many examples have been set in the human race, a lot of us plod along with life like its no biggie.

We should all be listening to Rocky Balboa's famous quotes and take the opportunities that only happen once in life. Most of us will always find a hard point in life, but it is these moments that we will look back on later in life. The point that I'm trying to make is that we all have setbacks in life. What you really should be worrying about is how you face that defeat and how you become stronger.

Boxers set a great example for me. Many people hate the sport, most people don't get the sport. But those boxers have the courage to get into that ring every time and that is something that I have always admired. Boxers have been embarrassed, ridiculed and injured. But they step back into that ring to chase after their dreams. They become a stronger person. Not a boxer, a person. They can take the loss but will always move forward.

Your self confidence can only be improved by yourself. No one is here to motivate you, you need to find out for yourself what you can do to improve your confidence. Confidence should never be something that can lowered, but it does happen.

Luke Campbell probably has the prettiest face I've ever seen. But that can be saved for another time. Pretty boy received a black eye from sparring after taking a flu jab. He thought that it might affect his Vogue shoot. A week later he won Gold in the Olympics. The image is so striking to look at because of all these feelings expressed at once. Pain, anger, defeat, pride. If a boxer can do it so can you.

Just remember, people are going to knock you down. It's the standing up afterwards that counts.

I hope you all feel inspired yo.

-2firs 

697 words (a task for Fashion Journalism).