Exclusive: Former World Champion Ken Doherty Urges Snooker’s Best to Take Inspiration from Boxing

Former world champion Ken Doherty has revealed his admiration for boxers, insisting that other snooker players should study the fight business in order to improve their game.

The Irishman, who also finished as runner-up at The Crucible on two other occasions, issued the advice after meeting Dalton Smith and Josh Padley on the eve of this year’s tournament in Sheffield.

Despite conceding the two disciplines have nothing in common physically, Doherty insisted they share plenty of transferable skills when it comes to character, concentration and mental strength.

“With individual sports, they all have an affinity with each other,” he exclusively told SportsBoom.co.uk.

“There’s training, or practice as we call it, and a lot of sacrifice and hard work in order to get to where you want to be."

“But the biggest thing is the mental strength you need - the belief, the focus and the calmness under pressure. In terms of the mental aspect, there’s lots of similarities."

“They’re both very lonely sports, because you are in there by yourself. Nobody else can help you when you’re competing. Boxing, for me, is the toughest sport there is."

'But there’s similarities, in one sense, with snooker and I think we can actually learn a lot from each other. People might think that sounds strange but, the more you analyse it, the more sense it begins to make."

SNOOKER PARALLELS

Doherty, who defeated Scottish legend Stephen Hendry in the final nearly three decades ago, shared tips and ideas after being introduced to Smith and Padley at a snooker charity in the city. 

The mandatory challenger to WBC super lightweight champion Alberto Puello, Smith maintained his unbeaten record by conquering Mathie Germain of Canada last weekend. 

Padley, another member of the Matchroom stable, impressed against the same organisation’s lightweight king Shakur Stevenson in Riyadh earlier this year and faced Marko Cventanovic on the same card at Sheffield’s Canon Medica Arena.

“The length of time we have to stay focused for, it's a marathon,” Doherty said. “When I won it, it drained me."

"I heard Ronnie (O’Sullivan) speaking after winning it one year, saying that for a fortnight after he was mentally zonked. You have sleepless nights, thinking about strategy."

"Even when the other guy is in the chair, you are thinking about when you’ll get a chance."

“Boxers have to show the same focus too. They’ll recognise that and it’s a side of the sport I don’t think many people appreciate.”

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Doherty, one of snooker’s most respected and best loved figures, acknowledged his conversations with Smith and Padley had provided him with a fresh perspective on what is required to succeed in his own profession. 

It is an experience he believes others within snooker would also benefit from, adding: “You can prepare by using psychologists. You can read books and I would encourage any young snooker players to do that. 

“When I started and came through, there was nothing. I read a bit and it helped me a little. Talking to people is such a good idea and boxers and snooker players are much more open about that. We could share knowledge on that, without a doubt."

"I definitely think it’s worth doing, examining what people in other sports do and finding things that you share in common or learning about how they might develop some of the same qualities in a different way.”