Foo Fighters' Guitarist Chris Shiflett Talks Boxing with DoghouseBoxing (Part: One)

Foo Fighters' Guitarist Chris Shiflett Talks Boxing with DoghouseBoxing (Part: One)

By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr, Doghouse Boxing (Jan 10, 2012) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © Jake Emen)
-

When Chris Shiflett is not shredding the guitar in the legendary band, the Foo Fighters, the California born musician is checking out the latest boxing news. And not only is Chris a life long boxing fan, he participated in the fisticuffs as an amateur, under the tutelage famed boxing trainer John Bray. In the first part of this exclusive interview conducted by Doghouse Boxing, Chris talks about his love for the game as well as touching on his short stint as an amateur, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: Thanks for talking to the fans here at Doghouse Boxing, besides being in a kick ass band, not many people know this but you are a boxing fan and used to fight as an amateur.

Chris Shiflett: Yes, I used to train with John Bray for a few years, he was really great, John took me to a few amateur fights and such, the whole thing was just a great experience. I love boxing, boxing is a small world, it is a tight little community and when you end up hanging out at these gyms long enough you wind up meeting all of these characters, and John Bray is definitely one of them.

BH: He is a character. How many amateur fights did you compete in?

CS: I think I did like three or four sanctioned amateur fights, and I did a couple of white collar fights.

BH: Did you ever think about turning professional?

CS: I never got that far, and I was pretty old by the time I even started sparring, that probably would not have worked out well for me. (Laughs)I did not start boxing until my late twenties, it is like one of those things where you go and take a boxing class and you work with a trainer one on one, and you get a little better. Then they put you in the ring with somebody and you actually do a little sparring, and it is more exciting. Then you do a little white collar boxing and that is even more exciting. It sort of builds and builds, but by the time I got real comfortable in the ring that was about the time that I was too old to compete in the amateurs.

BH: I made my little professional boxing debut at thirty.

CS: Oh really?

BH: Yes sir, and let’s put it this way, I like writing better than fighting, it doesn’t hurt as much. (We both laugh)

CS: It is funny because when I first started fighting I did not have kids or anything, my wife and I have three little boys now, and as the years when by I had a son and then another son, I was sparring a lot. I got to where I did not like getting hit in the head; it was not I was like fighting Mike Tyson or anything. But at a certain point it seems like if you are a hobby boxer maybe you are a little irresponsible as a parent a well. The last time I fought I fought this kid and I walked right into a left hook, I mean right off the bat, he hit me right on my ear, when you get hit like that, it screws up your equilibrium a little bit but that was not the problem. You know how it sounds when you hold your ear up next to a sea shell, it sounds like the ocean, and my hearing in my ear was like that for like a week. And I remember thinking, you know, I cannot screw my ears up. (Laughs) I have to pay rent so I cannot do that.

BH: Especially you do not want to be up on stage with cauliflower ears.

CS: Exactly. (We both laugh) More than anything I am just more of a boxing fan, it is truly the only sport that I ever really followed and it is an obsession.

Check out the Foo Fighters at www.foofighters.com

I would like to thank John Bray for helping out with this interview. Stay tuned for part two as Chris talks about his favorite fighters and what match-ups he would love to witness.

Questions or comments email CrazzedTrucker@aol.com
For more info on the Big Dog visit www.facebook.com/bennyhendersonjr

Recent from Benny:

Seth Mitchell Speaks Out On the Heavyweight Division (Interview) Benny Henderson Jr

Brian Minto Interview: “I’m Back and Ready to make a Run For the Heavyweight Title!” Benny Henderson Jr

This scribe won’t be shocked if Guerrero beats Floyd Mayweather (Interview) Benny Henderson Jr

NEW: Follow Doghouse Boxing on FaceBook!
For more Boxing News 24/7 and so much more...
visit our homepage now!