After a week on honeymoon in Dubai, professional boxer TONY JEFFRIES is a skiing convert. Last week he headed to his local slope to check out the facilities
SINCE the first time I walked into a gym at the age of ten, boxing has been my life. I’ve been so lucky because as an amateur, it took me around the world to cities and countries I’d never even heard of before, and now it’s my job.
I turned professional after winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, but long before then I’d dedicated my life to boxing.
Unfortunately 2011 has been a year of injuries for me. I had to go under the surgeon’s knife in February to remove the scar tissue from an eye wound which needed 18 stitches. Then, in my comeback fight in September I damaged my knuckles so badly I needed another operation which has ruled me out for six months. Even now I still cannot make a proper first, let alone get into the gym and start punching!
It is incredibly frustrating as a professional sportsman when you cannot do what you are paid for, but last month I managed to find myself a new favourite sport. I’ve only been doing it a couple of weeks, but I’m already hooked.
It all happened by accident. Because of my injury I brought forward my wedding to November, and we jetted to Dubai a couple of days later. Despite all the travelling I’ve done in boxing for my country, it was the first time I’ve been to the place and we both really enjoyed it.
The highlight for me was definitely discovering Ski Dubai – the world’s largest indoor ski slope. After my first hour-long lesson that’s all I wanted to do for the rest of the honeymoon. I spent a total of five hours on the slope that week. Ski Dubai is actually located in a huge shopping mall, which was perfect because while I was forever falling over in the man-made snow my new wife was able to do what ladies do best in the shops.
When we got back to the UK I really wanted to ski a lot more, so I rang Sunderland’s ski slope at Silksworth, which is less than a mile from my house. Last week I took my 11-year-old nephew Leon down and had a couple of hours of fun. Like me, Leon’s got the boxing bug, but unlike me he learned to ski a couple of years ago. Leon joined the Polar Bear Club at Thievery when he was nine and got a lot of badges. He hadn’t been for a long while because now he’s concentrating on boxing, and showing a lot of promise.
So when I told him I was taking him to Silksworth, his little face lit up with excitement. It was as if Christmas had come early for him!
Silksworth ski slope in Sunderland is the North East’s largest artificial ski slope and activity centre. Skiing on the 165m meter Dendix plastic hardware slope was a lot different to Dubai’s snow. It was harder to turn and get a good technique but I suppose that makes it a better way to learn.
I look at it the way I look at boxing. When you spar with someone better and harder than your next opponent, you will find it a lot easier when the fight comes around. By the same logic, you know if you can ski well at Silksworth, you will be a lot better on snow. I must say, I preferred the easier option in Dubai, but I still loved it in Silksworth. We really did have a great time.
It was a very chilly day and little Leon’s cheeks where rosy red – not with the cold, because his mum had wrapped him up well in two pairs of tracksuit bottoms, a big coat and a thick scarf. It was because he was exercising and having so much fun.
I don’t think he realised he was putting his body through the equivalent of a training session at his local boxing club, the Olympian, and it was the same with me. It was so enjoyable I didn’t realise I was getting a sweat on. To have such a great facility right on my doorstep is fantastic.
When I arrived I spoke to the centre’s assistant manager, Scott Stuart, who told me a little bit about the place. Around 175,000 pairs of skis and snowboards hit their slope every year, which surprised me because I only know a couple of people from Sunderland who ski. It’s great to know because skiing is such great exercise.