BEST FOOT FORWARD
Coach McGuigan on how running helps him navigate the ‘dogged’ world of boxing, and how psychology is more important than physicality in fight camp
BY OSCAR PICK
ON THE ROAD: Dad Barry gives
Shane a push
JUST LIKE anyone involved in boxing, Shane McGuigan needs time – and, more importantly, space – to breathe, away from the often-suffocating nature of his profession.
There is, of course, a passion for his craft, fierce enough to keep a flourishing stable of fighters firing on all cylinders. But to maintain that energy, there must be semiregular releases of unwanted emotions, almost as if to purify mind and soul.
And nothing, for McGuigan, facilitates that process quite like running – the endorphins alone proving addictive enough for him to keep pounding the track.
“It’s a dogged world in boxing – if you lose, you get hurt,” the British trainer tells Boxing News. “Whereas, with running, if you’re having a bad day, you can just try to enjoy it.
“There’s no enjoyment in boxing when you’re having a bad day.
“I’m 37 [years old], so now is a pivotal time in my life to keep on top of my health. With the impact that I take in boxing, I’ve started to pick up a few niggles and injuries [from taking fighters on the pads].