Boxing Wows Claremont Crowd

By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — Boxing made its return to the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center on Saturday as USA Boxing held 14 fights.

Real Steel Fitness boxing coach Ron “Frenchy” Morissette said he was thrilled to host a Boxing event in Claremont, the first one since 2004.

“I’m off the wall excited right now,” he said. “We have Nicholas Cain fighting tonight. We also have Luke Forrest, who got injured in a fight in Dover and not fighting.”

Morissette told Cane the goal of the event is to win.

“He has to take all his training from his coach and needs to put it in the ring,” Morissette said.

To get involved with Real Steel Fitness Boxing, he said step one is checking out their Facebook page and calling Morissette.

“If they want to fight, we train them and put them in events throughout New England,” he said.

Real Steel Fitness Assistant Coach Susanne Lenz helped organize the event and hoped for a great turnout and bouts.

“I do core conditioning with them, bag work, and speed bag work,” Lenz, Nicholas’ coach, said. “We work as a team to condition our fighters.”

She said boxing’s return to Claremont started about three years ago with Luke and a couple of other guys in the Real Steel Fitness yoga room.

“Frenchy and I love working with these guys, and we made a commitment to buying equipment with our money,” Lenz said. “We have a lot of talent coming up.

Cain was fighting in the Cruiserweight Division (189 pounds), and he was sitting at 178 pounds for the fight.

“I like to go for the body in the first round and try to weaken him,” he said. “In the second round, I’d like to try a few shots to the head with a few combos and save some energy. In the third round, I’d like to combine body and headshots.”

He said boxing is about putting on pressure no matter how hard he gets hit and keeping going even when he gets tired.

He started with Springfield Boxing and heard about Morissette starting Real Steel Fitness Boxing.

“I had just moved from Windsor to White River, and the drive to Springfield, which is a great boxing gym, was taking its toll,” he said. “After getting hit in the head, you worry about the drive.”

He said Frenchy teaches confidence and helps men who need better role models.

“It doesn’t matter how big you are or how tough you look,” you’ll feel comfortable defending yourself,” Cain said.

He wants to have 15 fights through USA Boxing.

“I think 15 is a good benchmark and decide where I’m going after that,” he said.

Forrest was not fighting because he broke his arm during his last fight.

“Our arms locked together during the fight’s last 10 seconds, throwing whatever I had, and it snapped,” he said. “My teammate is fighting; all I can do is cheer him on. I’m going to be in his corner.”

In the corner, he will evaluate the fight as a coach.

Forrest is in physical therapy for his arm and starting his weight training regimen.

“I should be back into boxing in about a month,” he said.

Bill Scanlon and Nanette Clark came to cheer for his grandson, Jesse Bodge, who fights with Jass Boxing.

“It took us two hours to get here,” he said. “I’m super proud of Jesse.”

USA Boxing New England Chief of Officials Steve Clark said 10 referees were working the fights.

“They are all experienced referees and judges,” he said. “We don’t let brand new people referee. First, they learn all the rules and put them in a gym where there is sparring, and that’s where they learn.”

He was at the last Claremont show around 2011 and approved the fight’s sanction.

“They’ve done a great job, and this setup is perfect.”

USA Boxing is non-profit.

“We have saved life after life over the years by getting kids off the streets,” he said. “We teach discipline, and we teach them to have a higher self-esteem.”

Real Steel Fitness Boxing is located at 66 Pleasant Street in Claremont.