Walsall show some fighting spirit at boxing club

And as they look to produce a knockout performance against the Hatters, the Saddlers checked in at Wolverhampton Boxing Club for a gruelling session with head coach Richie Carter.

He was tasked with instilling a never-say-die attitude as Michael Flynn’s charges were put through their paces at the Willenhall Road gym.

“Walsall goalkeeping coach Dan Watson is a good friend of mine. He phoned me to say the gaffer, Mickey Flynn, had asked if the lads could do a one-off training session at the club,” said Carter.

“They came down and we worked them hard – gave them a boxer’s mentality. Boxing and football are the same, really, in that the will has got to be stronger than the skill.

“In our game, we can’t just pass the ball and give up. We have to keep fighting those rounds. That’s the mentality I was trying to drive into them.”

Carter hopes the boxing training will have done the trick for Walsall and they come back in the future having found form in League Two.

He added: “They trained hard. It was a bit of culture shock to them at first, but it stripped them back.

“We got them on the bags and they really wanted it in the end.

“They adapted well and there was a couple of good fighters among them, to be honest with you.

“They did great and they’re on about wanting to come again.

“Fingers crossed, the result goes their way on Saturday, and we can take a bit of credit.”