“Once that bell rings you’re on your own. It’s just you and the other guy.”

Ex-Coonamble locals Ryan Towns and Hayden Stevens found this during their first boxing matches last Saturday 25 March.

Now Gold Coast-based, the two took part in an eight week boxing challenge following the move up north at the start of the year.

“You train and dedicate yourself for eight weeks and at the end of it you hop in the ring and fight,” said Ryan. “It was really great both mentally and physically, it’s all about building up those two things.”

“It was good for me, I didn’t really have anything to do up here so it was good to get out and try it,” said Hayden.

Both Ryan and Hayden came away as winners on the day, both by split decision – meaning out of the three judges, two voted in favour and one did not.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking,” said Hayden.

“I was pretty pumped all day for the fight then when the time came the nerves hit me and walking out there, I was pretty nervous.”

“But once I was in the ring, I didn’t really take much notice of the crowd or anything I was focused.”

The fight card is drawn at random, and a boxer is paired up with someone who also did the challenge with them.

“He was a lot bigger than me I can tell you that,” Hayden joked. “I was like yeah I think I’m gone here. But I didn’t have much choice though did I?”

ABOVE: “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done” - Ryan Towns won his first fight by split decision on Saturday and can’t wait to hop back in the ring again.

As for Ryan, he was taken aback by how different boxing in a gym was compared to boxing in the ring.

“I’d done a lot of sparring leading up and I thought that that was it was going to be just with harder punches,” he said.

“But it’s totally different, everything you learn goes straight out the window I reckon, you’re fighting to survive each round when you hop in the ring.”

“I thought I was losing the whole time I was in there which is just how it goes I suppose.”

The fight ran for three rounds, with each round lasting one minute and thirty seconds although Ryan joked that “they felt like five-minute rounds!”

The program is also so much more than just working towards the fight at the end the boys say.

“You’re building your fitness up and learning a new skill,” said Hayden.

“And not only will you be physically fitter and mentally stronger, but in your day-to-day tasks you’re performing better. At work you feel better dealing with things and you can handle situations better,” said Ryan.

“Your mind is just so much clearer which is probably the best benefit from it.”

During the challenge, the days were long for both Ryan and Hayden, who barely had a minute to sleep during the eight weeks.

“We weren’t finishing work sometimes until 5, then we’d drive 45 minutes to the gym, then do an hour there, and when you get home you’ve only really got time for a shower and a quick feed,” said Ryan.

“Then you’re back up at 5 and ready to do it all again.”

“We would do six days a week, including Saturday mornings, so a part of me is glad it’s over and I can rest a bit.”

Following the challenge, the impact on them both is clear – it was positive in every facet.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” said Ryan. “And it’s so surreal when you get in the ring.”

“Loved every minute of it,” concluded Hayden.