ELMSDALE: Sandy Pembroke is brimming with confidence as Feb. 2 nears.
You see, Pembroke, who calls Belnan home with his partner, is getting ready to step into the ring as a 51-year-old at the Boxing Card at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax against an opponent twice his age.
Pembroke will be battling Brandon Osborne as part of the under-card on the night of fights. The main feature sees Halifax native Custio Clayton square off against Courtney Pennington in a 10-round bout.
The owner of a marketing business that aims to help businesses match is scheduled to be the second one on the card, so win or lose he will get to enjoy the rest of the night of boxing with family and friends who have bought tickets.
One might wonder where he is getting that confidence, seeing as at 51 he will be the oldest fighter on the card, and given his near career-ending injury to his spine from which he has recovered.
“I thought I was done. I thought it was never going to happen again,” said Pembroke after explaining about his injury which he had surgery to repair.
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About a month ago Pembroke received a call that would change things on getting back into the ring. It was the promoter asking if he wanted to fight Osborne in his hometown at the Scotiabank Centre
“I thought I would never fight again but I got back in shape really good last year,” he said. “It’s really hard for me to train and train other people in boxing and not think about getting back in the ring.
“It messes with my head and now I have an opportunity.”
Pembroke knows his chances of winning against a quicker, younger opponent aren’t high, but he’s going to give it his all. He feels he’s ready for the fight.
“I love the training, I love the journey, and I love the fight,” said Pembroke. “
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He knows he has an uphill battle, with Osborne being 20-21 years younger.
“He’s way fitter, way younger, way faster, way stronger, you know, all that stuff,” said Pembroke. “But I’m the old dog, and I got a few new tricks. I’m like a dog with a bone the young bull kind of thing.
“There’s this argument that this kid is going to walk through me and I’m betting on myself that I’m going to put on a really good show.”
Pembroke said he is going to walk into that ring with all the confidence from the hard work he pout in training with his trainer.
“I have to go in there thinking I’m good. You can’t have any doubt,” he said. “Even in this question those doubts are creeping into my head. I’ll tell you the God’s honest truth is, if I lose, it’s probably my last fight. That’s the worst way to go out.
“It’s definitely not the way I want to go out. So the goal is to win and then have a couple more fights.”
With the confidence spewing as he talks, Osborne may have bit off a bit more than he can chew when Pembroke steps into the ring on Friday night.
Get your tickets for the Boxing Card at: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/3100602CB6582826 or reach out to Pembroke at @sandybeachmarketing for table tickets with him.
