Can I do boxing as an officer

[Grp12345]

Hi, I was just wondering what chances officers get to join army boxing teams. I would like to carry on boxing as an officer; however, any regimental teams seem to consist only of soldiers. Is this because the officers do not have sufficient time to devote to training, or are they simply not allowed? I appreciate being an officer is more than having a jolly playing sport, and that is not the only thing that appeals to me about the role, just wondering if I would still be able to pursue my hobbies.

Thanks in advance.

 

[WolvoExPunk]

I have seen a captain step into the ring. We also had a 2Lt on our team, who did the training, but did not make the cut.
Do they not box at Sandhurst?

 

[964ST]

Yes.

 

[Oyibo]

Most definitely yes.

As you can imagine, the majority of the spectators might not be on your side, but all except the most ardent 'officer haters' will respect you for stepping into the ring.

(As a caveat, there may be the odd CO who does not think an officer should step into the ring, but I've never met one with that mindset. RMAS had a very strong boxing club.)

 

[CptDanjou]

Not very gentlemanly , fencing or duelling pistols should be the way.

 

[rgjbloke]

I boxed a couple of years running at inter company competition level. The first year, I didn’t have to fight but the second year I did.

Training was run by a full screw and I can’t remember whether it was the first or second year but we had a Captain fancied his chances and came along to some of the training sessions.

Sparring was part of the regime and there was a bit of an understanding between the blokes that if you sparred with a guy, you didn’t try and knock the crap out of each other.

The Captain was selected one day to spar with me and he didn’t know about the unwritten agreement not to batter each other when sparring.

After he had landed a couple of pretty hefty blows on my head, I thought he’s out to prove a point so I hunted him down in the ring and knocked the crap out of him. It ended when the sound of my blows whacking his head resounded around the gym loudly enough to start turning heads.

The full screw looked around to see why everybody had stopped what they were doing and were all staring at the ring and then came running over and stopped the bout.

The Captain had an absolutely beautiful shiner. For well over a week afterwards, as I marched around the camp and passed him going about his business, I threw one up and had to try and suppress a bit of a grin as I exchanged a good morning or afternoon sir with him.

He was sound and just smiled back as he returned my salute. He knew he was wrong to try and prove his mettle in the way he did in the ring on that day.

I did wonder what the CO said to him when he would have spotted his facial bruises in the officers mess but nothing was ever said to me.

So officers certainly can choose to enter boxing competitions. Whether they are any good at it depends on them!

 

[Oyibo]

Not very gentlemanly , fencing or duelling pistols should be the way.

Being serious for a minute, boxing in the Army is an event that brings out all the officers (and SNCOs & WOs) in mess dress and is usually a Scale A event. Everyone likes watching two people trying to knock lumps out of each other regardless of rank.

 

[964ST]

Yep, been there (as in the Event!) The preparation and the extra benefits afforded when in training is memorable!!?
The enevitable bloodfest is also memorable!

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Hi, I was just wondering what chances officers get to join army boxing teams. I would like to carry on boxing as an officer; however, any regimental teams seem to consist only of soldiers. Is this because the officers do not have sufficient time to devote to training, or are they simply not allowed? I appreciate being an officer is more than having a jolly playing sport, and that is not the only thing that appeals to me about the role, just wondering if I would still be able to pursue my hobbies.

Thanks in advance.

Officers can box.

They don’t ‘do boxing’.

 

[PapaGolf]

Being serious for a minute, boxing in the Army is an event that brings out all the officers (and SNCOs & WOs) in mess dress and is usually a Scale A event. Everyone likes watching two people trying to knock lumps out of each other regardless of rank.

And if you can find out who in the Mess is running The Book, there’s some dough to made!

 

[Auld-Yin]

Absolutely the best bout I saw at inter-Company boxing was the heavy weight final between a full screw and a captain. They stood virtually toe to toe for three rounds just knocking lumps out of each other. The noise was immense. As has been said above, one side had a somewhat larger and more vocal support, but what a fight!

 

[964ST]

And if you can find out who in the Mess is running The Book, there’s some dough to made!

Emmh! There must be some sort of misunderstanding!, nobody approached me to lose the fight!

 

[964ST]

Boxing is Barbaric! But I have respect for peeps who are willing to stand „toe to toe“ and sort a Problem Out!
Its like being invited to the Compressor Room!

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

Not very gentlemanly , fencing or duelling pistols should be the way.

 

[Arse Gravy]

Absolutely officers can box. Many years ago a full screw had a chip on his shoulder and encouraged his platoon commander to step in the ring during the beat ups for company boxing. As the training progressed the full screw moved to a different company but managed to end up in the ring with his former platoon commander.

Unexpectedly, the full screw had two tonnes of shite knocked out of him by his former boss as they stood toe to toe in the ring. Everything was magnanimous and we've remained the best of friends almost 35 years later!

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

GMF's 'hero' Captain Errol was a classy boxer.
Great story = "Carpentier to the town drunk," and 'took him apart with clinical savagery" are phrases he used.

 

[06FA56Paderborn]

Being serious for a minute, boxing in the Army is an event that brings out all the officers (and SNCOs & WOs) in mess dress and is usually a Scale A event. Everyone likes watching two people trying to knock lumps out of each other regardless of rank.

Have to disagree, I certainly do not like it, as a result I came into conflict with my CO when he proposed Inter Sqn Boxing, not surprisingly my objections were overruled and my Sqn took part.

Even had my 2ic in the ring who was well supported as he was up against a very unpopular JNCO.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

Have to disagree, I certainly do not like it, as a result I came into conflict with my CO when he proposed Inter Sqn Boxing, not surprisingly my objections were overruled and my Sqn took part.

Even had my 2ic in the ring who was well supported as he was up against a very unpopular JNCO.

Made a few gumshields for boxing during my time.

Not everyone was a willing volunteer.
Was quite happy to sign them unfit for boxing.

 

[Mölders 1]

Was there a time when just about everyone had to undertake Boxing tryouts even against their will?

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Was there a time when just about everyone had to undertake Boxing tryouts even against their will?

Milling was compulsory in RoCo.

I was then asked to join the RMAS boxing squad.

I declined, not wanting to spoil these film star good looks

Instead I elected to join the judo squad.

The head gym queen wasn’t too happy.