Reporter Kieran Nash has donned his boxing gloves for a good cause - raising money for KidsCan. He's building up for a corporate fight night in November and this week talks about taking his first punch.
I now know what it's like to take a beating. And thanks to headgear, mouthguards and gloves, it's almost fun.
Until now, boxing has been drill practice - the trainer tells me to throw a series of punches, which he duly blocks, dodges and counters, all at a slow pace.
But, as they say, the bag doesn't hit back. So it was time for me and the group I've been training with to find out what it's really like in the ring.
The Auckland Boxing Association's hangar-type room is surprisingly peaceful.
We wrap our hands and fit our mouthguards, a thin layer of laughter barely coating the thick cloud of apprehension.
After brief warm-up we get the call - everyone to the ring. We split in to two groups with the heavier guys sparring first.
Each person takes on an opponent, one at a time, in 30-second bouts. Once he's fought all his opponents the next person steps up, and so on. The nerves build as I watch the big boys go at it but there's no time to think: I'm up.
It's me, the sedentary hack from Pt Chevalier, in the ring with three Airforce personnel. Great. These guys can train at work and their salaries are paid by the taxpayer - which means I'm paying them to train so they can hit me harder. I meet Nick, aka Ferdi, in the middle. He is a young guy about my size - except much fitter. At first we engage in a bit of dancing round, both of us testing the waters.
Then, JAB! I cop one right in the nose. A flash of black; it feels like my brain is blinking. I dance backwards to recover. No time for pain. He's fast and light on his feet.
Next up, Regan. I know he can hit - hard. He jabs. Jabs again, breaks through my defence and a big knock to the head has me reeling, with my brain trying to figure out this new sensation.
I wait for his guard to drop then BLAM, a left jab to his nose. It feels good.
Steve, a Pom with about 10kg on me, is next. A barrage of white gloves is launched at my head. I try to take most of them on the gloves but I'm too slow. Then I spy an opening. He throws a left. I slip right, counter right, and BAM!
We climb down from the ring. My breath comes in laboured gasps. I can hear my pulse in my ears and taste blood in my mouth. My nose is numb. Two tiny flecks of blood hit my white singlet.
I thought I would be in for a serious beating so copping a few blows to the head wasn't all bad. Hell, I even got to deal a few out myself.
* If you'd like to help out my fundraising effort for KidsCan, a charity that helps young Kiwis in poverty, please visit www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/kierannash
