Punching Up: Ringside Seat to Keeping You in the Fight

It was a Sunday night two weeks past in Springfield, the kind of night that felt As if the referee had turned a blind, swollen, eye to reason. The gym, a monument to young glory, buzzed with a crowd eager for blood. In one corner stood Todd “The Punisher” Poulton, my 60-year-old high school track coach, sporting a tribal tattoo over one eye that looked a badge of stubbornness in a world that often demanded conformity. His dark, black hair defied his age, a trophy of self-assertion in a world of acquiescence. You don’t expect a guy like Todd to step into the ring against a 28-year-old contender, but expectations are often the first to fall in the absurdity of the everyday. Yet, this wasn’t everyday.

When the bell rang, it was as if the crowd collectively held its breath. In less time than it takes to question your poor choices, Todd, with fire in his eyes, sent his opponent crashing to the canvas. One minute, one knockout, and a stunned crowd, on their feet cheering in disbelief. It was the sort of spectacle that made you question everything— as if observing a tiger spring from the bushes on a grazing deer, surprising yet somehow fitting in a world where wisdom seemed to take a nap.

Todd’s fight was a study in success, a masterclass in resilience. I was just a spectator, but I had a front-row seat to a class that would put any business school to shame.

The Punisher didn’t enter the ring alone. His corner was filled with a crew of old-timers, seasoned in the art of alternating between whispering and shouting advice, schooled in mending wounds. Lesson one: If you don’t have the right people in your corner, you might as well be fighting with one hand tied behind your back. You need those who will jolt you awake and keep your eyes open to possibility, when you’re too dazed by the punches to the face that life throws at you

Then the bell rang again, and Todd took a punch that could have knocked the wind out of a lesser man. But The Punisher? He kept moving. Lesson two: Taking the hit and remaining on your feet is vital. Life, much like boxing, is a series of setbacks disguised as punches. The question is, will you let them flatten you, or will you shake them off and come back for more?

At 60, stepping into the ring against a younger opponent is a gamble that most would deem foolhardy. Yet Todd was undeterred; he had trained, prepared, and calculated the risks. Lesson three: Success belongs to those who dare to risk it all. Sure, playing it safe keeps you cozy, but it doesn’t earn you any belt in the ring of life.

As I watched him move, it was clear Todd didn’t rely on luck. Every punch and every step was part of a grand design. He wasn’t just throwing punches; he was composing a strategy. When the moment arrived, he unleashed that knockout blow as if he’d scripted the scene himself. Lesson four: Success is built in preparation, not just in the spotlight. When you see someone triumph, remember the countless hours spent behind the scenes, practicing, refining, and sweating. It also means keeping yourself in the right mental and physical shape to be at your fighting best.

And let’s not forget about age. Most guys Todd’s age are busy chasing after golf balls, not stepping into a ring. But Todd dismissed age like a bad joke. The world doesn’t care how old you are; it cares about what you do with the time you’ve got left. “The world’s got a dark side; every day it turns, But the sun only shines occasionally and when it does it burns”, sings The Darkness. Translation: If you’re willing to step up and out into the light, you might just find yourself winning against the long, dark odds everyone faces. It doesn’t matter if you’ve stumbled or delayed your dreams. What counts is how you choose to finish your story.  Give me fire in your eyes!

So there I was, watching my old coach stand triumphant over a younger opponent. Todd hadn’t just won a fight; he had delivered a lesson in what it takes to succeed in the casualty of life’s strange twists and turns.

Next time someone tells you to play it safe or that your time has passed, remember Todd “The Punisher.” Sometimes, the smartest move is to risk it all, take the hit, and keep fighting. Because as Todd showed me that night, the fight isn’t over until you declare it so. So grab surround yourself with positive people, embrace that "Why Not?" spirit, and step into the ring of life. You never know what kind of absurd victory might be waiting for you.