Source
r/amateur_boxing•
betch

Training for a fight under unique circumstances and could use some advice

Question/Help

Situation:

I'm participating in an organization that trains Bartenders to become USA Boxing amateur boxers in a 3 month period. The purpose of this is to teach bartenders how to balance out our typically stressful and unhealthy lifestyle that goes along with our career. Basically a 3-month long bootcamp for people with little to no fitness or boxing experience to transform themselves into fighters. We will fight each other first, and the winners will fight another city participating in the org. It's being sponsored by a liquor company, so they will be doing a lot of press and promotion within the bar industry. This could also be a great networking opportunity.

Why I need advice:

I already box. I took it up a few years ago for the exact reason this program exists. I'm not at my peak fitness at the moment and I haven't really sparred too much, but I have 3 years of training at a boxing gym already under my belt while the people I will be fighting will only have 3 months. I feel kinda bad, like I'm starting out way ahead of my team. I'm worried that I could easily justify not try as hard while training, thinking I got this in the bag and then have my ass kicked. Or, I could train rigorously and destroy my opponent who never stood a chance against me, taking away from the whole purpose of how this is supposed to be "transformative". I am a woman, so I'm assuming that the other 5 girls are not as used to punching people in the face/getting punched in the face as I am.

I really want to win. But I don't think I'm going into this with the right mentality. I don't want to believe I have this in the bag, but I also feel bad for having such a large advantage over the other women. Trying to shake this and need some help.

Posted Apr 19, 2018, 12:22 AM UTC

57
mma_boxing_wrestling•

Go in, train your ass off and get the most you possibly can out of it. You only cheat yourself if you half-ass it.

If when it comes time to compete you find that you're on a completely different level than the women you're fighting (should be the case with 3 extra years of experience), then treat it like a sparring match with a beginner and let them work a little, but still let them know you're in control and score enough to win.

That way if you end up fighting girls from another city you'll be ready if one of them happens to also have a boxing background.

12
famren•

I agree with this. Go in ready for the fight of your life. Know that they are probably there to kick your ass.

But tone it down if the other person is way below you.

3
ObservanteFat Minge•

You can take the ethical high road and just train hard, or you can go sign up for classes at a boxing gym to supplement your training, spar with dudes, and sand bag it at the bartender's class.

2
betchOP•

Ha! I have a membership at another boxing gym, I was planning on doing my sparring there while they are all still practicing on mitts

1
purpleicetea•

Train as hard as possible, and when it comes to the competition go as hard as you need to to win. Don't go 100% if you don't have to, but make it obvious that you're the better fighter.

2
soupash•

Never underestimate your opponent. And train for the perfect opponent every time. Anything can happen in there.

Fight the first round hard and let your corner/the ref/your own judgement tell you to slow down after that. It’s easier to back off the power if you find it’s a mismatch than to start slow and then find you have to kick it up a notch after eating a bunch of shots (Trust me, i learned this the hard way during an exhibition last weekend).

Edit: grammar

2
joshuakang190•

Just train your ass off, beat the shit out of the other opponents- it’s boxing man. It’s their own volition that they went in the ring, and they should understand that they might get their ass kicked in there. If the other opponent really is bad and you’re grossly overmatched the ref will stop the fight.

-1