Adrian Farquhar tried to get himself out of bed and couldn't walk. His hips were shot.
The fear of hanging up the gloves before he even laced them up left him in a dark place – he thought "everything was going to be over".
Adrian Farquhar will make his professional boxing debut in BrisbaneCredit:Sitthixay Ditthavong
So when he throws his first jab in his professional debut against Thai boxer Vachayan Khamon (11-24-1) at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday night, with it will go two years of politics, pain and mental demons.
The 20-year-old initially shifted to Ireland to chase a career in the squared circle but Farquhar wasn't fascinated by the idea of "signing my life away for three years" due to drama outside the ring.
Advertisement
He moved to London to finish a training stint before returning home, where everything was on track for Farquhar – aptly nicknamed 'The Lord' – to make his professional debut 10 months ago.
"Then injuries galore hit me all at once. I had some Voltaren and hid the pain," Farquhar said.
"I came back to Australia and I was due to have my pro debut in February. I was training for that, still masking the pain with Voltaren, then all of sudden, one day I just woke up and I couldnt walk anymore."
Only then did he learn he was born with deformed hips, a condition worsened by the constant twisting and turning in the day-to-day life of a pugilist.
The part-time model's boxing career was on the ropes before it even began.
"It was very tough, I first went into hospital on January 4, I was about two weeks into camp and that was when I woke up and I couldnt walk anymore," Farquhar said.
Adrian Farquhar can't wait to get in the ring.Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong
"I was just in too much pain. I got the news then that my boxing career was going to be put on hold and everything might be over. It was a bit of a shock at the time.
"I went through a few mental health issues there, I got a bit low as people do when you think everything is going to be over. Then I got the news I could have surgery in May."
So followed the long road back – a month off training quickly turned into an extensive rehabilitation program.
Long stints on the bike, walks on the treadmill and slow road runs got Farquhar's muscles working as one. Slowly the pace picked up to the point at which Farquhar feels like he is "flying".
Now he will finally enter the ring as a professional on the undercard of Dennis Hogan's regional title bout with Jamie Weetch against an opponent vastly more experienced, admittedly one who has dropped 23 of his past 27 bouts.
"We decided to go that way just to find out early if Ive got it," Farquhar said.
"Many people would consider it a hard debut, but Im going to take it in my stride. It will propel me forward sooner as well. If I perform well because he is a tougher opponent, it will push me up the rankings quicker.
"Im always excited, everyday I wake up and I still cant believe its happening. There is obviously a lot of nerves as well, its just the nature of the beast. Its good to be nervous.
"Im pumped to get in there, finally, and get everything underway."
Caden Helmers is a sports reporter for The Canberra Times
Most Viewed in Sport
Adrian Farquhar tried to get himself out of bed and couldn't walk. His hips were shot.
The fear of hanging up the gloves before he even laced them up left him in a dark place – he thought "everything was going to be over".
Adrian Farquhar will make his professional boxing debut in BrisbaneCredit:Sitthixay Ditthavong
So when he throws his first jab in his professional debut against Thai boxer Vachayan Khamon (11-24-1) at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday night, with it will go two years of politics, pain and mental demons.
The 20-year-old initially shifted to Ireland to chase a career in the squared circle but Farquhar wasn't fascinated by the idea of "signing my life away for three years" due to drama outside the ring.
Advertisement
He moved to London to finish a training stint before returning home, where everything was on track for Farquhar – aptly nicknamed 'The Lord' – to make his professional debut 10 months ago.
"Then injuries galore hit me all at once. I had some Voltaren and hid the pain," Farquhar said.
"I came back to Australia and I was due to have my pro debut in February. I was training for that, still masking the pain with Voltaren, then all of sudden, one day I just woke up and I couldnt walk anymore."
Only then did he learn he was born with deformed hips, a condition worsened by the constant twisting and turning in the day-to-day life of a pugilist.
The part-time model's boxing career was on the ropes before it even began.
"It was very tough, I first went into hospital on January 4, I was about two weeks into camp and that was when I woke up and I couldnt walk anymore," Farquhar said.
Adrian Farquhar can't wait to get in the ring.Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong
"I was just in too much pain. I got the news then that my boxing career was going to be put on hold and everything might be over. It was a bit of a shock at the time.
"I went through a few mental health issues there, I got a bit low as people do when you think everything is going to be over. Then I got the news I could have surgery in May."
So followed the long road back – a month off training quickly turned into an extensive rehabilitation program.
Long stints on the bike, walks on the treadmill and slow road runs got Farquhar's muscles working as one. Slowly the pace picked up to the point at which Farquhar feels like he is "flying".
Now he will finally enter the ring as a professional on the undercard of Dennis Hogan's regional title bout with Jamie Weetch against an opponent vastly more experienced, admittedly one who has dropped 23 of his past 27 bouts.
"We decided to go that way just to find out early if Ive got it," Farquhar said.
"Many people would consider it a hard debut, but Im going to take it in my stride. It will propel me forward sooner as well. If I perform well because he is a tougher opponent, it will push me up the rankings quicker.
"Im always excited, everyday I wake up and I still cant believe its happening. There is obviously a lot of nerves as well, its just the nature of the beast. Its good to be nervous.
"Im pumped to get in there, finally, and get everything underway."
Caden Helmers is a sports reporter for The Canberra Times
