‘He wasn’t smart’: Inside the Rocky-style training camp fuelling Aussie star’s comeback bid

Brock Jarvis has run, waist deep, through Canadian snow as part of his resurrection.

Sparred countless rounds, too, in Bangkok heat.

Which pleases coach Jeff Fenech.

But only to a point.

“Because with Brock,” Fenech says, “people are always saying how big and strong he looks.”

Same as, last October, there were headlines hailing his six pack.

Right before Jarvis was surprisingly kayoed by Liam Paro in the opening round of their all-Australian showdown – the first loss of his professional career.

A career which now resets in Sydney tonight, when Jarvis headlines a fight card against tough Filipino Marlon Paniamogan (11-2-1).

More than simply helping build to Tim Tszyu’s blockbuster WBO title bout, the four-fight show serves as a chance for Jarvis to shake whatever demons still linger from that most recent KO.

As part of preparations, the super lightweight has even channelled Rocky Balboa, by training in the Canadian snow with his brothers Levi and Chaz – the latter of whom is a promising Cronulla Sharks halfback – during a recent family holiday.

“We were initially training in the gym before deciding to get outside and have some fun,” explains Jarvis, who posted social media clips of himself churning through snow runs, shadow boxing, even hurling boulders up hills.

Elsewhere, the fighter and Fenech spent time training in Thailand, where they were based out of The Ambassador Hotel.

“Because it’s tough,” Fenech stresses of the challenge ahead.

“Brock isn’t only coming back from the first loss of his career, or against the biggest guy he’s ever fought, but headlining.

“So there’s a lot of pressure on him.

“But this is when you learn what you’re working worth.

“And I’m confident that everything we’ve been doing over the past four months is going to pay dividends.

“We’ve made a lot of changes.”

Specifically, Fenech says, with Jarvis’s mental approach.

“Everyone looks at Brock and says ‘wow, he’s so big’,” the Hall of Famer continues.

“But I’m always trying to explain that what really matters, it’s what goes on between the ears.

“Tough man’s sport? Nah, boxing is a smart man’s sport.

“All the talk about how tough you are, you have to out-think your opponent.

“Know what your opponent is doing, counter that, set traps.

“And in Brock’s last fight, he wasn’t smart at all.

“He thought he was too big, too strong.

“Coming into that fight bigger than he’d ever been, Brock thought he would just wipe the guy out.

“It never happened.”

Says Jarvis: “The biggest thing about that fight, I came out very aggressive.

“Had completely the wrong approach.

“But I’ve watched the fight back several times, taken notes. I’ve learned a lot.”

Fenech agrees.

“Because I’ve seen it in sparring,” he stresses.

“But the biggest test, it always comes inside the ring.

“And Brock’s got a huge exam Wednesday night.

“He’s sitting the HSC.

“But I know if he concentrates on the changes we’ve made, the guy is going to pass with flying colours.”

Asked if, being a studio fight, the smaller crowd would benefit Jarvis, Fenech said: “Honestly, it shouldn’t matter.

“While the crowd won’t be large it will be close up. So there’s going to be plenty of noise.

“And Brock is 21 fights down now.

“So he has to be able to fight in every scenario.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s 200 people, 2000, whatever.

“As I said before, he needs to fight smart.

“He didn’t do that against Liam Paro.

“And credit to Liam, he made that into his fight … and we suffered the consequences.

“So Brock needs to forget the crowd, forget everything but doing what we’ve practised.”