By any measure, Max Bates shouldn't have been in boxing anymore. He is 35 years old, has a teenage son, and usually works as a truck driver in a stable job. But when the phone to invite the contestant rang, Max Bates said "Yes" without hesitation.
This weekend, Max Bates will enter the professional boxing ring for the thirteenth time, when he will play against Italian veteran Christian Danilo Guido at the Melrose Memorial in Massachusetts, USA. Like other professional boxers, Max Bates aspires to victory, hoping to give himself a better chance to play through every tournament.
Before the game, although he was surprised by the reporter interviewing himself, Max Bates was very cooperative with the reporter, he said: "I think I performed well in boxing. I know I was a little late in professional boxing, but that was for some reason and now I have a professional team and coaches. So I wanted to continue the sport, and I felt like I could box for a long time. ”
In 2002, Max Bates, who was still a freshman, had his favorite sport still basketball, and his ideal was to play in the NBA, but his father's accidental imprisonment caused Max Bates to lose interest in all sports. After his father was sentenced to life in prison, Max Bates quit the varsity team. Since then, Max Bates has wandered the streets.
Now Max Bates is very reluctant to recall his own absurd past, telling reporters: "At that time, I was discouraged and wandered the streets every day, and then I did stupid things and started selling drugs." He was arrested and spent more than three years in prison. ”
Max Bates now has a 14-year-old son, Max Bates has repeatedly said that his son is the center of his life, Max Bates revealed to reporters that the son is also the main reason for his determination to stay out of prison, although it is not easy for a person with a previous conviction, but Max Bates has done it.
"I can't say it's easy, but because of my son, I have no choice. I was arrested when my son was approaching his sixth birthday. And just like that, for three whole years I couldn't see my son, I couldn't hold my son, I couldn't take care of him, I couldn't watch him grow up. So when I came out, I never planned to go back to prison. Max Bates told reporters.
After Max Bates was released from prison, he set himself a mission. First, be a qualified father. Then find a stable job. Finally, after your life is on the right track, pick up all the sports you used to enjoy.
The first two missions went well, but by the time of the third, Max Bates was in some trouble.
Max Bates told reporters: "I don't want to be in my seventies or eighties, but to tell my children and grandchildren what I would have achieved if I had been able to go to a professional game." I want to prove myself with actual results, even if I don't succeed, but at least I have tried, I have chased my own dreams. I tried basketball first, but it turned out I was away for too long. I tried football afterwards (Max Bates's half-brother Trevor played for the New England Patriots and won the Super Bowl in 2017), but also failed. In the end, I chose boxing, which I used to be very good at when I was on the street, but living on the street prevented me from focusing on the sport. But now it's different, I have my wife, my son as my backing, and a perfect team to support me, I can do what I want to do. ”
In 2016, Max Bates competed in the Golden Glove Boxing Championships (Rookie Tournament) in New England and made it all the way to the finals. Although he lost to Brian Lawrence in the final and lost the championship, Max Bates was satisfied with his results. In September of the same year, he made his career debut at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Philadelphia, USA, and although he was defeated by his opponent TKO, Max Bates persevered.
Today, Max Bates has completed twelve professional matches, with a record of 8 wins, 4 losses and 6 KO opponents, and has also won the title of second-middleweight boxer in New Hampshire. However, Max Bates, who has always regarded the "old demon" Bernard Hopkins as his role model, still wants to one day challenge the title of World Champion, although it is slim, but Max Bates is really hopeful.
"I have a lot in common with Bernard Hopkins – he lost his first professional game and I also lost my first professional game. He went to five years in prison, and I went to jail for three years. Therefore, seeing his long career and brilliant achievements, I am also more confident in my future. Max Bates said to himself.
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