Should i quite boxing/ kickboxing?
I (20f) was doing muaythai for a year and then switch gyms and started doing k1 and then later also boxing (maybe 7months).
A few days ago there was a sparring event at my gym where we could spar people from other gyms in the ring with an audience and i thought it would be some good experience before i have a real fight. I wanted to show what ive learnt and prove that im a good addition to the gym (im a bit shy).
Everything was quite spontaneous and i didnt know my partner until the morning of. She was around 35, a bit heavier, definitely more experienced (didnt find that out until the fight) and her coach was practically glued to her hip. And we were boxing. All the fighters were told to go light and that it isnt a real fight and if you see your opponent cant keep up to tone it down because everyones here to learn.
All im going to say is that the fight was everything but that. She went 100%, got rocked once, saw black 3 times from the headshots, and recieved 2 gnarly body shots. I was asked if i wanted to quit during it twice and said no. I just tried to focus on my movement. I went maybe 50-60%? Im a very light and technical sparrer and i really dont enjoy giving people injuries so i just stuck to what i knew.
The fight wasnt the worst part though, it was the fact that i really felt like i was all alone. My trainers were hosting the event so they couldnt really do much which i get. I warmed up alone, no one gave me a heads up on what might happen, and i was just shadowboxing a bit because of course i expected the best outcome (the light spar that was communicated with me). The guy in my corner was someone that has never spoken to me during practice (and he was also arguing with people about what i should be doing WHILE i was taking a break during the fight which i thought was just useless). At the end, my coach said into the mic "she is more of a k1 fighter so give her a round of applause" eventhough recently ive been going to boxing more. And after no one from my gym shook my hand or said anything to me (except my trainers because thats kind of their job), not even the guy who was in my corner. I felt really really shitty.
From the moment i went home every time i spoke or thought about the fight id just start crying. I spoke to my dad and he thinks i should leave the gym. I think i will too but i also dont know if i ever want to spar again. Its bad because without you dont get better and if i dont get better i dont think theres a point in me doing k1 or boxing at all. I loved the sport i really did, at times it was the only thing i had. But i just dont know if i should keep going. Idk if the noticeable cognitive decline after that fight or the mental load of it is really worth it anymore. Im just not enjoying it rn.
So im asking here if i should quit or not and also to share my experience i guess..
Posted Sep 8, 2026, 11:35 AM UTC