Inverness City Boxing Club head coach Laurie Redfern labels last few years 'worst of his life in boxing' after latest spate of Covid-19 restrictions
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Inverness City Boxing Club head coach Laurie Redfern has opened up about some of the struggles clubs like his have faced in the wake of the most recent Covid restrictions.
While much of the headlines centred around crowds being allowed in to football matches, indoor contact sports like boxing have had to return to the measures imposed early on in the pandemic.
They will still be in place for at least another week, with the next review due to take place on Tuesday, but already they have taken a toll on the likes of Redfern with shows coming up.
“In the last couple of weeks it has gone back to the way it started – we need squares taped out in the gym to keep one metre apart when training,” he said.
“We have to test them when they come in to check their temperature. We never went away from doing that, but we were away from the distancing.
“Now they can’t spar until the three weeks is up. Luckily we were sparring like mad before, but now we’ve got to wait until it stops, so they are fit.
“A few spars will make a difference, but the same goes for the clubs you’re going to be boxing against, they’ve got to do it as well.
“I’m fed up with it really, it’s been the worst few years of my life in boxing, but I can’t walk away because I’ll leave the kids then. I put a lot in for them.”
As well as a professional show at the start of March, Inverness City hope to hold an amateur show later this month at the Ironworks. Both events have been a long time coming.
“It has been a struggle trying to get matches,” Redfern revealed.
“Some of the boys haven’t boxed for two years. It’s unbelievable.
“I’ll just keep my fingers crossed that the Ironworks show takes place considering it will be the majority of these youngsters’ first contests. They’ve waited long enough.”
