Meet Declan, my third stranger from Nottingham’s Green Hustle Festival
Declan is a coach at the Nottingham School of Boxing and had an information stall at the event. I had a really good chat with Declan, he spoke enthusiastically about the boxing school. Declan told me the club is much more than just boxing, it also concentrates on mental health and teaches respect in and out of the ring. The club is based on Woodborough Road and provides a safe, inclusive training environment where key life skills such as building self-esteem, confidence, resilience and discipline are taught. Anthony Joshua (the World Heavyweight champion) had been to the club and this week John Fury (Tyson Fury’s Father, Tyson is our other World Heavyweight Champion) had visited. Declan told me that John was a great guest.
I asked Declan what weight did he fight at, I guessed Flyweight. Declan told me he fought at Bantanweight as he was quite tall. In our chat about boxing I told Declan that I thought boxing sometimes got bad press, but boxers like Anthony Joshua were a credit to the sport, he always speaks really well with the press and is always respectful and polite. I told him that Tyson Fury was always entertaining when interviewed, but again was always respectful. Declan told me many boxers are really humble as they know what a dangerous sport it can be.
Declan was a credit to the boxing club and was pleased to become part of my Strangers project. We walked across the avenue as it was in the shade (the hustle was located in the former Fruit and Veg wholesale market and is divided in three avenues, A, B and C)
Declan struck up the pose straight away without any direction from me. I asked him to raise his baseball hat a bit as it was casting a shadow on some of his face.
Thank you for being stranger 263 Decaln, it was a pleasure to meet you.
What a fascinating conversation you had, I really enjoyed reading that. His face looks too perfect to be a boxer to me - I expect them to be all lumps and bumps with broken noses and missing teeth! Nice portrait
@casablanca Casa, I assume Declan was an amatuer boxer. Boxing 🥊 at that level is only 3 rounds and boxers wear head protection when fighting. It is more about the art and technique of boxing. Thanks for your visit and comment
You get to meet the most diverse people in your searches for a good subject for your portrait shots. Today it is a boxer, who will be next I wonder. I love your capture of Declan, he looks such a good guy to be a boxer. But then not all boxers are the same. I used to love watching boxing on tv but then boxing was an art. I'm referring to the Cassius Clay, Sugar Ray Robinson, Marvin Hagler era.
