Neil Gits Ringside

It’s fair to say I’ve done a few “firsts” this year in my ‘new life’ , some of which were things I’ve wanted to do for quite a while, others just random ideas that I acted on quickly, on impulse almost (quite unlike me!) but I never saw this one coming until a few weeks ago ! My son Nathan has been playing football for quite a few years now and his exploits on the field have often merited a mention in my show, but when his last team disintegrated due to you-know-what and he couldn’t find a suitbale new one to join at short notice before the start of last season, he decided to switch sports … and has taken up boxing !

Now I’ve been to hundreds and hundreds of football matches, four cricket ones and a couple of other sports events including a netball game once a long, long time ago (a rather pretty girl I liked was involved !) but I have NEVER been to see boxing. To be honest my initial reaction to Nathan’s change of direction wasn’t very positive – and I still can’t understand why anyone vould voluntarily expose themselves to being hit hard several dozen times inside a few minutes – but it is a long established sport which has produced some true heroes for people in this country and elsewhere, so I have tried to keep an open mind…

So … last Saturday, he had his first six minute bout as part of a Cancer Research Charity Event at Basildon Sporting Village, taking on a much older but shorter opponent, who presumably had equally little experience in the ring, but with 8 months training behind him, Nathan lasted the distance, stayed on his feet and lost on points … and most importantly, his next stop was to our VIP table for well earned drinks and NOT up the road in an ambulance to the hospital !!

By all accounts from people present who understand the sport, he did quite well considering it was his first ever match and once we’d all relaxed and I’d got him back home with his girlfriend to unwind, I was able to head back to “Old Gits HQ” and prepare another tip top selection of cool soul tunes safe in the knowledge that I won’t have to go through that again for a while. You can enjoy that show – blood, sweat and guts free – by tuning in to the ‘Repeat Play’ this Saturday at 5pm or by searching it out on the ‘Listen Again’ page. These are the tunes played …

The Tunes – Monday 18th July 2022

Third World – Dancing On The Floor (Hooked On Love)

Roberta Flack – Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long

Beverlei Brown – Gonna Get Over You

Patti Austin – Only A Breath Away

Undisputed Truth – The Law Of The Land

Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star

Isley Brothers – Summer Breeze

Tyra Levone – No More

GQ – Wonderful

Earth Wind & Fire – September

Julia & Company-Breakin’ Down (Sugar Samba)(M & M Mix)

Susan Cadogan – Love Me

Grover Washington Jr – Winelight

Sounds of Blackness – I Believe

Unlimited Touch – I Hear Music In The Street

Taste of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie

Robin McKelle & The Flytones – Control Yourself

Toni Braxton – Why Won’t You Love Me

Sister Sledge – Easy Street

Bobby Brown – My Prerogative

Ritual – Non Stop Boogie

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock and also around the world via www.gateway978.com , as well as on your smart speaker or your phone, from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – search “Cool Soul” !