Northern Ireland footballer Ryan McLaughlin joked he will leave boxing to the professionals after spending 10 days in Michael Conlan's fight camp.
Belfast featherweight Conlan returns to the ring on Saturday night when he faces five-time European champion Karim Guerfi at the SSE Arena.
The 31-year-old has been putting in the hard yards over the past number of weeks, and had some company with friend and former Liverpool defender McLaughlin joining in for a few days.
Read more: Conlan vows to treat fans to early Christmas present with KO win
McLaughlin is currently without a club after leaving Morecambe in the summer, but hopes to kick-start his career by making a move in the January transfer window.
And in the interim period he has been trying to keep his fitness up so he can hit the ground running in the New Year.
Reflecting on his training experience with Conlan, the 28-year-old international said: "I have never experienced anything like it.
"It wasn't even close to any pre-season I have done. I would say it was 10 times harder than anything I have ever done.
"We did these hill sprints. There were people using these walking aids to get up it because it was that steep, and there was us trying to run up it. Six times.
"If you walk up it you're out of breath. It was like running up a vertical climb at Black Mountain. Your rest at the top was doing press-ups and then you walked back down before doing it again.
"I knew it would be tough and I would be blowing out my backside, but I never expected it to be that tough."
McLaughlin admits the experience has given him a new-found appreciation of what boxers go through.
"All joking aside, I have so much respect for boxers," he said.
"It does get you in great shape. I was only there for a few days and I could start seeing a few abs.
"I have also been doing some training up at Gleann Boxing Cub, and it has been a great experience.
"When you train by yourself it is tough. I left Morecambe on transfer deadline day, and the plan is to sign for a new club in January. But it is difficult when you are not in that football environment and training every day.
"Mick just invited me over for 10 days and said I would get fit by the end of it, but it was ridiculous."
Giving his verdict, Conlan says McLaughlin "couldn't keep up" with the professional boxers.
"I brought Ryan over and put him through some of my runs and stuff. And he couldn't keep up," Conlan laughed.
"He said it is nothing like his football training. He has never experienced anything like it, and I knew that would be the case.
"He even said the boxing training as different level to his pre-seasons at Liverpool. But we do it every day, it isn't just pre-season."
McLaughlin is a mad fight fan and even co-presents the popular Brawl Boxing podcast.
He has known Conlan for a number of years and regularly attends his shows.
"I have known Mick for a few years and been to loads of his fights, including the Lomachenko-Linares undercard in New York," he added.
"A Mick Conlan fight night is something else. The atmosphere is brilliant and it is a proper buzz, especially when it is in Belfast.
"We had started to lose that here after Carl Frampton retired, but Mick is bringing it back. I love it.
"I love boxing and I have the podcast, but I am not ready to quit football just yet. I am still 28 so football is my main focus.
"Although sometimes I have to remind people that I play football because I post so much stuff about boxing on social media.
"So hopefully in January I get my football future sorted. I have options in England, Scotland and even here in Northern Ireland.
"And I also fancy travelling abroad.
"We will see what happens."
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