Thaxton - Altitude training won't help on the 5th by Kevin Taylor Sep 29th 2007

British lightweight champion Jon Thaxton has been reading reports that Dave Stewart has been training at altitude with interest. Norwich based Thaxton, who is making the second defence of the title he won by defeating Lee Meager said; “He may have been training at altitude, but as far as I am concerned I am so focused for this one, he could have been training on the moon for all I care. “Yeah he's a nice guy and when it's all over I'm sure we'll be best of friends, but he's after my belt and if he want it, then he's going to have put up the biggest fight of his life to take it off me. “I have trained as hard as ever and I really am in as good a shape as I have ever been. “I know we as boxers always say this, but I really am. “In fact this is the first time for a while that I can honestly say that absolutely everything has gone to plan. “My mind is right, my physical preparations have been honed to perfection and now I am ready for Oct 5th”. Thaxton's fitness advisor Neil Featherby said “As always Jon has worked to perfection paying 100% attention to detail. “In the gym with Graham Everett he has been awesome and out on the road he's working as well as I have ever known. “We've had him training with a group of county standard middle distance runners and he has surprised everyone, not just with his endurance, but his speed as well. “With regards to Dave Stewart training at altitude for 10 days, well I'm sure it will have given him a lift mentally and that's good, but in reality you need to be away at altitude for a minimum of a month and realistically 6 to 8 weeks for it to be effective. “It's all about the body adapting to the stresses of training whilst trying to cope with the rarefied air at altitude and for that to happen effectively you really do need to plan this type of training out over a given period of time. “Under the correct conditions the body will increase red blood cell supply to cope with the increased demands of oxygen which of course will then give the added boost when coming back down to normal conditions at sea level. “We have considered it ourselves in the past, but due to the time required away, It has been impossible for all of Jon's team to get away for such a lengthy time. “The most important thing being is that Jon is as ready as he's ever been and I am sure it will be a great fight”.

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