EVERYONE has a plan until they get punched in the face! That famous quote by Mike Tyson is one I love.
Being in the boxing fitness industry now after a 17-year competitive boxing experience, I’ll always get the odd person to me and say: “I’ve been boxing training for six months now and I’m ready to fight”. I always tell them to slow down with dropping the words: “I’m ready to fight”.
Getting punched in the face – particularly the nose – for the first time isn’t easy or nice.
But even after you get over the bloody nose and the watering eyes – which I guarantee will happen – there is still an awful lot to get through to become a “fighter”, including the consistency of training. You can’t miss a session to go out with your mates or to take your partner to watch the new Avenger film. No matter how much they moan at you, you have to be dedicated and make sure you’re doing more than your opponent.
You can’t just order a takeaway when you get hungry; you have to plan out all your meals and think about everything that goes in your mouth as you want to be the lightest possible, so you don’t end up fighting a guy twice your size.
Now comes the hard part: taking centre stage, getting in front of hundreds of people, including some of your friends and family, to fight a guy who is going to try and not only punch you in the nose, but who really wants to knock you spark out.
All of that being said, if you fancy giving it a go, let me tell you this, there is no greater feeling than winning a fight, and there’s no greater experience than doing this.
This is why I have got huge respect for anyone and everyone who steps in that square circle to fight.
