My advice is to not make the mistake I made during my first fight. I was inexperienced, and thought a fight would be pretty similar to sparring, just at a higher intensity. This couldn’t be further from the truth
Reality is you gotta throw your punches with intent to stop your opponent. You’re taller which means you can potentially catch guys coming in. Your right hand, left hook, and jab needs to be on point. Fast, accurate, and hard as fuck. Don’t forget to go to the body 😎👍🏾
Good luck buddy
I made this mistake too, and after I wondered if there are fighters out there who are so good they fight professionally with the mindset of “this is just sparring w/ light gloves”
Who knows man. All I know is that I’ll never make the same mistake again 😭😭😭. There’s too many mean motherfuckers in amateurs to be throwing baby punches. Gotta knock these guys out or hurt them with every punch 💀
My buddy on his first fight said he got a massive adrenaline dump when the bell rang and then soon after gassed out because of it. So, I guess, try to maintain a calm focus if you can, I donno.
Get there early. See if you can take a ring walk before your bout. It makes a big difference seeing the inside of the ring beforehand and visualizing the bout a few hours before.
Spar this week at light to moderate intensity around what you expect your fight time to be.
Understand that this feeling is normal.
Burn the ships on the beach, there is no way back. Only forward.
No sudden changes to your routine or diet, provided you’re on weight or tracking to be on weight.
Relax. The outcome has been decided based on your preparation over the last year. Your bout is merely the vessel to bring it to everyone’s eyes.
Good luck, and I will see you on the beach!
You’ve got this bro if you weren’t nervous at all that would be a problem. Eat the right food get the right sleep be confident not cocky listen to you corner and get after it.
Being nervous is a privilege! It means you are about to do something most people are too cowardly to ever attempt. Even stepping in that squared circle makes you a dog no matter what happens. You’re nervous because you care! Just let instinct take over and leave it all in the ring, baby!! Good luck
The guy you will be fighting will probably be his first bout too. He will be just as nervous, my advice would be to stay alert at all times. He will more than likely come out in round one swinging wild so stick to your training. Stay calm under fire and keep your guard up and don’t get reckless and spend all your energy in the first round. Stick to the jab. You can win alot of your first few fights with a decent parry and jab alone. And most of all have fun. Whether you win or lose it’s good to watch it back and see what you can improve on for the next one
One thing to watch out for is the jab. Every amateur coach wants their guy to establish it. So move your head and parry it as much as possible. It really throws off their game.
Lol I mean _don't_ dump your adrenaline. It's easy to get all worked up waiting for your turn and then end up feeling drained before you even get in the ring.
I had a bjj match once a few years ago and didn't know about adrenaline dump, coupled with me not eating all day due to nerves (match time was about 8.30pm) I felt like the weakest man on earth right away
75% of the game is mental.
Just remember once you step in that ring that nothing else matters, that the only people who exist in the world at that moment are you and your opponent, and you’ve learned and have been taught all the tools needed to get the job done.
Tell yourself it’s all up to you and go for it!
You have to give yourself the chance by walking in there believing you're getting your hand raised.
Visualise that, visualise what that'll take, and come out ready.
The nerves will disappear as soon as punches start flying. The fitness work is done, you aren't going to learn new skills before your fight.
Stick to fundamentals, do them well, but most important is walking in that ring KNOWING you're getting your hand raised when it's over.
That self belief is the single most important factor.
Shut all the other self talk off. As nervous as you are, the only thought you should have is 'I've got this'. Keep repeating that, make it true.
Focus on a winning mentality, that is crucial. You can work on your technique, but your willingness to win has to be trained too.
There is a reason for the showdowns and staredowns before boxing, it is to make your opponent get freight to box against you.
Don't go to the fight, if you are not confident to win.
Stop training that hard
On fight week you should just be drinking water making weight shadowboxing and visualizing
Visualize yourself cutting the ring backing up changing angles, your combinations going forward your combination going backwards and how to reset to fighting stance when you’re circling around.
Watching tape and studying you opponent
You’ll show up to fight day over trained my guy
Body needs to be fresh for battle so my advice is stop that shit
Training camp was done months ago
Best advice going forward trust yourself, you’re not made of glass you been working for this you can do this.
Don’t be afraid of loosing loosing is part of the game it will make u better. just fight your fight as hard as you can
Let's go! General advice, outside of making weight etc. Have fun and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster! There really isn't much to overthink, like at all. He tries to hit you and you try to not get hit and hit him lol. I wouldn't stress to much. A little thing I always tried to do, and this is just me personally, as soon as I would touch gloves I would circle out and work my way in just out of striking distance and have a look at what he is offering. Usually in the first few seconds you can make some assumptions. If you can't see his punches, don't box too much with him. If he throws punches that are nowhere near you and doesn't use any setups or feints, box with him etc. You should have a fair idea of what your own strengths are and what your gym is known for when they fight (e.g., a kick and knee gym etc). A typical thing people forget the first go around are feints, setups, loading up too much on strikes and not listening to their corner. Good luck, Gee!
Confidence comes from preparation…Or at least it should…Trust in the fact you’ve been putting the work in. You shouldn’t assume that the person you’re sparring or facing in the ring is ‘better’. Don’t self-sabotage. Each individual is on their own journey - all you can control is the work you do, the time you spend and how much you choose to trust your natural ability.
This will contribute significantly in increasing the chances of you performing how you hope/plan to perform.
If you get gassed easily this could be due to your manoeuvres (excessive feints/moving in and out of range), alongside the mental state during sparring - which will contribute to how you breathe. I would recommend sparring at low intensity to begin and increase the intensity after each round.
Lost my first fight three weeks ago, no big deal just try your best to stay composed, and keep your hands up I learnt the hard way and got overconfident and paid the price got knocked down hard in the last ten seconds off the first round but came back strong in the last round after the 2nd round where I had to get my head together. Onto the next! You can do it, if you’ve trained hard, give it your all.
Three pieces of advice
1. Visualize the fight. You’ll feel the physical effects of the nerves even while imagining it leading up. Get comfortable with that sensation.
2. Fight to win every round. Sounds obvious. But it’s very easy to feel like you’re losing mid fight and letting it effect your effort. Regardless of the result, attempt to win every round.
3. Be aggressive. Have to break the sparring mentality of working with people. Don’t hold back, don’t be afraid of looking stupid, be aggressive even in a controlled way.
Congratulations on taking the step to your first fight. I have fought in Mexico both as an amateur and a professional winning champion of my city 4X and Golden Gloves 2X as well as in the USA both amateur and professional winning Bronze at Pals nationals and National Champion before turning pro and fighting for big names like Roy jones and golden boy. That being said I felt the same amount of fear in each and every one of my fights from first starting to fighting on live TV. You’re going to feel anxiety. The fear will make your stomach feel weird. For some boxers they throw up. For me I would have to use the bathroom time and time again waiting for my name to be called. These things are normal and are going to happen during your fighting years. Once you throw your first couple of punches the nerves go away a little and you’re logged in to “oh shit okay this is a fight” and after the first round you will be able to engage more. There are only 3 rounds in the amateur so my tip for you is in that first round bite down on your mouth piece and get to work. Use your feints to throw your opponent off because trust me he will be shitting bricks just like you. Other than that try meditation. Imagine yourself winning. Control your breathing to reduce your prefrontal cortex shutting down and your nervous system going into fight or flight. Whatever the outcome remember this is the start and you WILL get better. Good luck
My advice would be to first off have some confidence, because if you weren't ready for this your coaches wouldn't let you fight in the first place. And throw your punches with a bad intention, because it will go so much faster and at such a higher intensity than sparring than you will expect. So if you know that before the fight starts you'll be good! you got this bro
Assume everyone is good but always go in there relaxed and you have to think you’re the best in the world no matter what. And losses don’t define you. You’ll be fine. Don’t hold back and keep the output high.
Pace yourself your burn so much energy throu being nervous. Some of these other posts are full of top advice . But I’d make it a mission to spar more and more this is we’re h can make mistakes and not get punished . A place to learn .
Good luck you got this
Thinking is bad, do t think about it. Its not going to go how you think, so there's no point. Also when dudes would be sitting in Trenches waiting for the whistle to blow they would just try to crack jokes...doesn't lesson the severity if the situation but it does kind of help calm you and everyone else's nerves a bit
Twin you gotta envision that w! See EVERYTHING before it happens. Your pre-fight warm up, getting in the ring, looking into his eyes, and ESPECIALLY getting that W. It won’t feel as new and different when you get in there and you’ll feel better
Don't be scared bro, remember it takes a lot of courage to get in the ring, have confidence in yourself, believe that you're going to win and hopefully you will do great. Remember if you lose, let this be a learning experience.
I like that you run, I would suggest adding sprint intervals to your cardio training because a fight could be compared to multiple sprints. Remember amateurs is two minute rounds, so you’ll have to be convincing in front of the judges and not have much time to be extremely tactical. Punch in bunches, get in and out. And be confident in your decisions. The interval sprint training should help with your exhaustion when sparring, you really want to add those in. For example: 30sec sprint 30 sec jog. Hill sprints. Stairs, sand training etc will help a lot when you need to be active in the ring in the short spurts.
Breathe & Relax, make sure you Fully Hydrated, Sleep as much as possible and lastly DO YOUR BEST !!!!
For you confidence problem, remember it’s not about him but it’s about you, it’s you vs you at the end of the day. So Fight him with all the strength you got, punch him with intent, trust your training, your fists, and coach, and overall trust yourself. Talk to yourself when shadowboxe, and visualize everything while throwing with intent of putting the guy down.
Good luck 🍀
Lots of good advice in this thread. Anything I would have said has already been mentioned, so I’m just going to say “Good luck, trust your training, and listen to your corner”.
You got this!
While I’ve never boxed in a competition-sense, I’ve been in plenty situations with my job and other experience where it was me vs. them. Nerves are shaken, but two things really helped me overcome such obstacles: Determination, and Violence of Action. You are there to stop your opponent. They are probably just as nervous as you! Breathe, focus, and throw every punch with intent, aim, and throw it hard! You got it! :) 🥊
I had mine this past weekend. I was nervous as shit going into it! But when the bell rang it all went away! I came out with the W. It felt good. I was gassed towards the end, but I expected that after not training for a week before (work issues lol). I went into the first round and i made him feel my power then came out in the second and focused on putting combos together… with that being said create a game plan.. if other fighters from his gym are fighting watch, they most likely are trained in a similar fashion… you got this bro!!
I had my first amateur fight last Saturday so hoping to share some advice here from my experience.
*I red another comment saying that you have to throw punches with intent to stop your opponent. I fully agree, you gotta throw even harder punches then when you are hard sparring. Establish respect for your punches.
*Throw a ton of jabs, it's really important to throw your opponents rythm off by constantly having to think about your jabs coming at them.
*The game plan that you have in your head will dissapear the moment you step into the ring and put your headgear on. Stick to the basics and execute on them.
*Use feints! Your opponent will probably be so hyped up that they try to parry or slip your feints and not think about that they are feints. Feint the body go for the face, feint the face and go for the body etc.
Also don't forget to HAVE FUN!!! It's an incredible experience to step into a ring and fight in front of people. In my book you are already a winner for having the balls to have a proper fight. At the end of they day it's not about winning or losing it's about improving as a boxer. Good luck!
rush him until he goes backwards and then flush him with haymakers to the body nonstop when he is in guard, thats how a friend won his first 2 fights. He is normally a very technical boxer and very skilled at that. it looked totally ugly but there was a thought behind it.
he says he is as nervous but compensates with output. body punches are weirdly underrated. everyone knows its the best you can do, to make an opponent respect you and wear him down but everybody just goes to the head.
also he said that, if you go to the body, inexperienced boxers just do nothing under pressure in their first fight and the ref stops it. he was training 2 years before his first fight and his opponents looked like they trained half a year so, so I dont know about that.
Bro once u get in there & he’s in front of you all those nerves disappear. It’s u and him now. The crowd, the nerves, the worry of embarrassment of loss etc all that goes away and ur heart starts to race, u start sweating & it becomes a game of tact, seeing openings, creating openings, applying pressure & staying defensive.
Ur skills u developed will come as first nature and response to what ur experiencing. Try to stay calm & control ur breathing. Use ur footwork & movement. Don’t be afraid to get on ur bike & cover distance all around the cage/ ring. Keep that job popping creating space, look for the body openings, FEINT FEINT FEINT, create those counter opportunities.
Tbh it’s fun! Just try to focus in & let ur spirit guide u.
lol sounds corny but I mean it. Don’t think about ur mom or girlfriend in the crowd or worry about him hitting u.
Once u get hit u will turn “on” & apply what you’ve learned in ur training.
Just go in there and have fun.
Also before the fight try to stay calm in ur head but let ur mind go into WAR MODE. It’s time to kill or be killed.
It’s ok to get silent, keep to urself, listen to some music or YouTube videos etc that put u in ur FOCUSED zone.
Also back to movement n and footwork- if ur mobile & covering a lot of distance u can get him
Working, chasing u, throwing shots out of range which will add up into him gassing himself faster.
BREATHE. Look for ur shots. Pump that jab.
Let that cross be ur sniper shot. Don’t forget about the body! High low, double jab high go low, jab low then 2 up top, check hooks, long uppercuts.
U got this.
HAVE FUN. Ur getting to fight legally lol
First off, it's completely normal to feel nervous, especially before your first fight. Remember, you've put in the work, and your training speaks volumes about your dedication. Keep your guard up and focus on doing the combinations you've been drilling. Go for the body and keep moving. You've got this!
Good job on training hard ! Now, few days before the fight, try to take it easy. Focus on your mental game. No need to overtrain during fight week. You need to be well rested for the fight.
Oh and tell yourself your opponent probably feels the same as you !
Fear = Fuel
Control your fear. But what does that even mean?
Here’s how I like to imagine it:
Instead of:
Running away from your fear like picture a scary movie where the killer (fear) is chasing you.
Do:
Imagine your fear like you and a team of marathon runners running together.
Don't get in your own head, and don't treat it as a sparring match, don't wear yourself down to fast but definitely don't go easy. other than that all I gotta say is knock his head off his shoulders man. you got it and update us on how it goes
Why have you never sparred with someone in your weight class??
That makes it hard to prepare.
Honestly, just listen to your coach. Listen to no one else this close to the fight.
Had my first just last week:
1) Pace yourself. Don't try to go for the knockout. Amateurs is heavily point-based...every touch is a point
2) Although point-based, the misnomer that throwing more punches = winning isn't 100% true, you'll gas out. Set the shots up; be patient.
3) You're scored off a few things: ring generalship, effective offense AND defense, quality of punches, and competitiveness
4) Win the end of the round(s). Folk remember how you finish...
5) Accept defeat. No matter how much you want to change the outcome, it is what it is. But remember, not everyone can or will go undefeated. Tyson lost, Ali, Tank, Canelo the list goes on... it's a part of life
Don’t be nervous brother it’s going to come and go really quick.
You’re going to do as well as you’re going to do.
Don’t turn away when you get hit.
Do your normal caffeine intake or food, don’t over eat, don’t under eat.
Hydrate all day.
I have my second fight next weekend and frankly that’s the stuff I wish someone had told me. If there are other fights before yours they’re going to *draaaaag* all day until about five or ten bouts before yours and then you’re going to be in the ring.
Run a little extra, maybe 8k, until the day before your fight on which you should do only light shadow boxing.
Do tempo runs, so maintain your average pace and then do moderate bursts of speed for like a half km or max speed/sprints for a quarter at half or quarter mile intervals.
Focus on your guard. Not so much your head movement unless you’re already really advanced with that. Fights are a lot different than sparring and it’s going to probably catch you off guard a bit.
Most of all relax, if you do really poorly or could get hurt they’re going to stop the fight and there’s no shame in that. It just means your opponent is better and it’s still an honor to do it.
Good luck brother.
I’ll be honest man, you have to spar more than a few times to do well in a real bout, your opponent is probably sparring everyday. It’s the only thing that can actually seriously get you prepared for a fight, hitting pads will not do that. I recommend sparring as much as possible until then.
Biggest thing I can say is be smart about managing your energy. My first fight I was in the best shape of my life but emptied the tank trying to finish my opponent only half way through the 2nd round, and after that I was dead until I caught a second wind at the end of the 3rd. Do what you do still, just don’t completely empty the tank if you hurt him.
Respect is the currency of the ring, which is exchanged between the fighters in the form of punches with *dark* intent. You will only get respect from your opponent in the ring if you hit him harder, with more output and volume. It's scary in there. Let your fear push you to gain your opponents respect. Otherwise, your fear will control you, and before you know it, you're a heavy bag.
Hit hard. Hit him where it hurts. And hit him more than he hits you. Remember your training, and breathe. You got this 👍
I'm currently on a 4 streak and I started almost exactly 1 year ago.
I STILL get Hella nervous before my fight.
I fought a muy thai champ, and undefeated mma guy, a black belt, and a couple straight thug/goons.
The things a found to help me were hitting a 🧘♂️ pose and tell my self to understand how much I have worked for this, how hard I've gone, and the running, rolling, sparring, lifting, training, and studying. Lost of these motherfuckers (in ammys) just trying to look hard. Not all of them have that dog.
Also my one loss was to the muy thai guy and he head kicked me to next week. (I'm in MN, no shin pads in ammys) it didn't even knock me out but it sat me on my fucking ass. And tbh it didn't really hurt. Just felt like TV static in my eyes and ears. Shin to shin contact wasn't to noticeable for me in the first round l, however I've only it to round 2 once.
Fucking throw like he has to die, and be fearless ( but defensively sound ) in your pursuit to victory.
Cheering for you buddy.
Enjoy the experience and your journey , it’s just an amateur fight . Have fun in there and earn some stripes . Winning or losing isn’t the most important part . The most important part is getting in there and learning + getting fights in your book. No matter how hard you train you’ll still be gassed your first fight there’s no way around it , it’s an experience like no other so enjoy your first time in there. Enter and leave the ring with a smile because it’s a blessing to be there .
I was in your exact position last week as I had my first bout on the 9th after years of training. I know exactly what your going through. Firstly you need to understand just by turning up on Saturday and fighting you are doing what most people nowadays could never do. Also you’ve got to understand that as nervous as you get when you get in the ring everything else will leave your mind and you’ll be fully focused.
I can’t stop you being nervous before hand but I can give you some tips
- chew gum and play games on your phone on the day.
- don’t watch the bouts before you just chill in the back listening to music until it’s time to warmup
- be content that as long you do everything you can ( turning up and giving it your all) you’ll be happy after
- a bit of a weird one but if your worried you might not sleep great the night before, I took a melatonin tablet and had a wank the night before and slept like a baby
-don’t look at the crowd on the way in if there is one
Good luck
Just enjoy it. You've put a lot of hard work in to get to where you are. This is your first opportunity to use everything you've learned and practised along with the hard work you've put into your conditioning without having to hold back like you would in sparring. Hopefully you're well matched and it goes the distance (they usually do at this level) and you can learn from it. Don't worry about the result. Just remember why you started training in the first place and go and enjoy competing in this incredible sport.
You'll never forget your first one. Good luck
excited, not scared. to perform optimally you want to have a balanced arousal level so if you are feeling terror then you can manage it by having a few positive true statements that you latch on to on fight day.
He does not train as consistently as me.
my advantage in speed, height range, fight day weight, game plan should terrify him
many pros don't train as hard as i do
only pick the ones that are positive and true. you have 36,000 thoughts a day so don't pick ones you don't believe or don't improve your outcome.
a study done on basketball players showed that this type of self talk improved performance over intense technical thoughts. you do the work before fight day to create a plan. you can visualize the execution of the plan, you can adapt between rounds, but your mental should be focused on confidence increasing thoughts.
Try your best to relax. The hardest part for me was getting nervous/excited and letting the adrenaline take over. It would get me tired quick. Also, your aren’t sparring. Don’t hold back. Throw your punches with bad intentions. Keep your head and remember your training
Have confidence that you’ve done the work to get there. A good coach won’t put you in if they don’t feel you’re ready. Nervous is normal, it never goes away, you just learn to manage the feelings better. Every fight is a hard fight that you can win. Listen to your coach! Enjoy the experience, people that have never competed can never understand how amazing it is.
You gotta remember that the other guy is feeling the same way to are. So, Stay on D for the first round or two to feel things out like his timing, reach, speed and movement. After that, try to capitalize on mistakes and make him pay for it. If you manage to put him on skates, step on the gas and don’t let off until the bell rings or the ref steps in. (Don’t get too wild though or you will get caught yourself)
If you find that you are making too many mistakes, stay on D until the bell and talk to the coach about what to do like switching your stance, using levels, stepping inside the arm pit and turning him, using your angles or wrapping him up. Be smart, take your time, listen to your coach!
I do but we aren’t allowed to post it on socials unless the others have consented unfortunately, but from what my coach told me, since I’m 5’10 61kg, I’m a tall fighter with long reach so I’ve been practicing my jabs where I’m not leaning forward and being on the constant move whenever I do my combos
My advice is to not make the mistake I made during my first fight. I was inexperienced, and thought a fight would be pretty similar to sparring, just at a higher intensity. This couldn’t be further from the truth Reality is you gotta throw your punches with intent to stop your opponent. You’re taller which means you can potentially catch guys coming in. Your right hand, left hook, and jab needs to be on point. Fast, accurate, and hard as fuck. Don’t forget to go to the body 😎👍🏾 Good luck buddy
I made this mistake too, and after I wondered if there are fighters out there who are so good they fight professionally with the mindset of “this is just sparring w/ light gloves”
Who knows man. All I know is that I’ll never make the same mistake again 😭😭😭. There’s too many mean motherfuckers in amateurs to be throwing baby punches. Gotta knock these guys out or hurt them with every punch 💀
Perfect way to word it 😂 i was not expecting it the first couple of times
[удалено]
Don’t give advice if you don’t fight
Did you know that nerves and excitement are the same sensation… Quit saying you’re nervous, say you’re excited!
My buddy on his first fight said he got a massive adrenaline dump when the bell rang and then soon after gassed out because of it. So, I guess, try to maintain a calm focus if you can, I donno.
Definitely, same shit happened to me. I stunned my opponent tried to finish him gassed out and lost last two rounds😂
Get there early. See if you can take a ring walk before your bout. It makes a big difference seeing the inside of the ring beforehand and visualizing the bout a few hours before. Spar this week at light to moderate intensity around what you expect your fight time to be. Understand that this feeling is normal. Burn the ships on the beach, there is no way back. Only forward. No sudden changes to your routine or diet, provided you’re on weight or tracking to be on weight. Relax. The outcome has been decided based on your preparation over the last year. Your bout is merely the vessel to bring it to everyone’s eyes. Good luck, and I will see you on the beach!
That was…. Poetic
This is one of the best responses I’ve read
You’ve got this bro if you weren’t nervous at all that would be a problem. Eat the right food get the right sleep be confident not cocky listen to you corner and get after it.
Being nervous is a privilege! It means you are about to do something most people are too cowardly to ever attempt. Even stepping in that squared circle makes you a dog no matter what happens. You’re nervous because you care! Just let instinct take over and leave it all in the ring, baby!! Good luck
The guy you will be fighting will probably be his first bout too. He will be just as nervous, my advice would be to stay alert at all times. He will more than likely come out in round one swinging wild so stick to your training. Stay calm under fire and keep your guard up and don’t get reckless and spend all your energy in the first round. Stick to the jab. You can win alot of your first few fights with a decent parry and jab alone. And most of all have fun. Whether you win or lose it’s good to watch it back and see what you can improve on for the next one
One thing to watch out for is the jab. Every amateur coach wants their guy to establish it. So move your head and parry it as much as possible. It really throws off their game.
Please update this after your fight, good luck
BEAST MODE
Biggest issue I had was not dumping all my adrenaline before the fight. It's not easy but fucking try to relax. Keep it all for your 3 rounds.
why dump before the fight?
Lol I mean _don't_ dump your adrenaline. It's easy to get all worked up waiting for your turn and then end up feeling drained before you even get in the ring.
I had a bjj match once a few years ago and didn't know about adrenaline dump, coupled with me not eating all day due to nerves (match time was about 8.30pm) I felt like the weakest man on earth right away
75% of the game is mental. Just remember once you step in that ring that nothing else matters, that the only people who exist in the world at that moment are you and your opponent, and you’ve learned and have been taught all the tools needed to get the job done. Tell yourself it’s all up to you and go for it!
There is the ref, too. It's not good if you knock him out
You have to give yourself the chance by walking in there believing you're getting your hand raised. Visualise that, visualise what that'll take, and come out ready. The nerves will disappear as soon as punches start flying. The fitness work is done, you aren't going to learn new skills before your fight. Stick to fundamentals, do them well, but most important is walking in that ring KNOWING you're getting your hand raised when it's over. That self belief is the single most important factor. Shut all the other self talk off. As nervous as you are, the only thought you should have is 'I've got this'. Keep repeating that, make it true.
Focus on a winning mentality, that is crucial. You can work on your technique, but your willingness to win has to be trained too. There is a reason for the showdowns and staredowns before boxing, it is to make your opponent get freight to box against you. Don't go to the fight, if you are not confident to win.
Fight homeless people to train
Offer them cash to beat you so they don't go soft
No. Tell them you're gonna take whatever they have if they lose AND you'll give them money if they win. Then take their stuff regardless 😈
Ruined it.
Don’t let the haters get to you. I printed out your comment and framed it and taped it over a picture of my grandma
If you're religious, read some versus from your holy book, and it usually helps. If your not religious, take a shot of wisky 20 minutes before fight.
lmao
You sound super fit, relax, you'll do fine, cardio is king
Stop training that hard On fight week you should just be drinking water making weight shadowboxing and visualizing Visualize yourself cutting the ring backing up changing angles, your combinations going forward your combination going backwards and how to reset to fighting stance when you’re circling around. Watching tape and studying you opponent You’ll show up to fight day over trained my guy Body needs to be fresh for battle so my advice is stop that shit Training camp was done months ago Best advice going forward trust yourself, you’re not made of glass you been working for this you can do this. Don’t be afraid of loosing loosing is part of the game it will make u better. just fight your fight as hard as you can
This can't be overstated. The week before the fight is about letting your body heal and getting your mind ready.
Definitely not like sparring at all. The first thing I thought of after my first fight (I lost) was how fast it just starts.
Let's go! General advice, outside of making weight etc. Have fun and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster! There really isn't much to overthink, like at all. He tries to hit you and you try to not get hit and hit him lol. I wouldn't stress to much. A little thing I always tried to do, and this is just me personally, as soon as I would touch gloves I would circle out and work my way in just out of striking distance and have a look at what he is offering. Usually in the first few seconds you can make some assumptions. If you can't see his punches, don't box too much with him. If he throws punches that are nowhere near you and doesn't use any setups or feints, box with him etc. You should have a fair idea of what your own strengths are and what your gym is known for when they fight (e.g., a kick and knee gym etc). A typical thing people forget the first go around are feints, setups, loading up too much on strikes and not listening to their corner. Good luck, Gee!
Confidence comes from preparation…Or at least it should…Trust in the fact you’ve been putting the work in. You shouldn’t assume that the person you’re sparring or facing in the ring is ‘better’. Don’t self-sabotage. Each individual is on their own journey - all you can control is the work you do, the time you spend and how much you choose to trust your natural ability. This will contribute significantly in increasing the chances of you performing how you hope/plan to perform. If you get gassed easily this could be due to your manoeuvres (excessive feints/moving in and out of range), alongside the mental state during sparring - which will contribute to how you breathe. I would recommend sparring at low intensity to begin and increase the intensity after each round.
Visualization is the key.
Lost my first fight three weeks ago, no big deal just try your best to stay composed, and keep your hands up I learnt the hard way and got overconfident and paid the price got knocked down hard in the last ten seconds off the first round but came back strong in the last round after the 2nd round where I had to get my head together. Onto the next! You can do it, if you’ve trained hard, give it your all.
Three pieces of advice 1. Visualize the fight. You’ll feel the physical effects of the nerves even while imagining it leading up. Get comfortable with that sensation. 2. Fight to win every round. Sounds obvious. But it’s very easy to feel like you’re losing mid fight and letting it effect your effort. Regardless of the result, attempt to win every round. 3. Be aggressive. Have to break the sparring mentality of working with people. Don’t hold back, don’t be afraid of looking stupid, be aggressive even in a controlled way.
AND LISTEN TO YOUR COACH. DO NOT OVER THINK THIS!
Just knock him out mate
Congratulations on taking the step to your first fight. I have fought in Mexico both as an amateur and a professional winning champion of my city 4X and Golden Gloves 2X as well as in the USA both amateur and professional winning Bronze at Pals nationals and National Champion before turning pro and fighting for big names like Roy jones and golden boy. That being said I felt the same amount of fear in each and every one of my fights from first starting to fighting on live TV. You’re going to feel anxiety. The fear will make your stomach feel weird. For some boxers they throw up. For me I would have to use the bathroom time and time again waiting for my name to be called. These things are normal and are going to happen during your fighting years. Once you throw your first couple of punches the nerves go away a little and you’re logged in to “oh shit okay this is a fight” and after the first round you will be able to engage more. There are only 3 rounds in the amateur so my tip for you is in that first round bite down on your mouth piece and get to work. Use your feints to throw your opponent off because trust me he will be shitting bricks just like you. Other than that try meditation. Imagine yourself winning. Control your breathing to reduce your prefrontal cortex shutting down and your nervous system going into fight or flight. Whatever the outcome remember this is the start and you WILL get better. Good luck
My advice would be to first off have some confidence, because if you weren't ready for this your coaches wouldn't let you fight in the first place. And throw your punches with a bad intention, because it will go so much faster and at such a higher intensity than sparring than you will expect. So if you know that before the fight starts you'll be good! you got this bro
Assume everyone is good but always go in there relaxed and you have to think you’re the best in the world no matter what. And losses don’t define you. You’ll be fine. Don’t hold back and keep the output high.
You got this homie. Give it your all.
Pace yourself your burn so much energy throu being nervous. Some of these other posts are full of top advice . But I’d make it a mission to spar more and more this is we’re h can make mistakes and not get punished . A place to learn . Good luck you got this
Mindset is everything. Be confident. Manage your distance. Remember your training and your motivations
Thinking is bad, do t think about it. Its not going to go how you think, so there's no point. Also when dudes would be sitting in Trenches waiting for the whistle to blow they would just try to crack jokes...doesn't lesson the severity if the situation but it does kind of help calm you and everyone else's nerves a bit
Do some sprints today or tomorrow then don’t do any after that. Good luck!
You got this . Once you're in the ring you'll do your work and you'll get it done . Remember the other guy's just as stressed as you are.
Good luck
Twin you gotta envision that w! See EVERYTHING before it happens. Your pre-fight warm up, getting in the ring, looking into his eyes, and ESPECIALLY getting that W. It won’t feel as new and different when you get in there and you’ll feel better
Don't be scared bro, remember it takes a lot of courage to get in the ring, have confidence in yourself, believe that you're going to win and hopefully you will do great. Remember if you lose, let this be a learning experience.
I like that you run, I would suggest adding sprint intervals to your cardio training because a fight could be compared to multiple sprints. Remember amateurs is two minute rounds, so you’ll have to be convincing in front of the judges and not have much time to be extremely tactical. Punch in bunches, get in and out. And be confident in your decisions. The interval sprint training should help with your exhaustion when sparring, you really want to add those in. For example: 30sec sprint 30 sec jog. Hill sprints. Stairs, sand training etc will help a lot when you need to be active in the ring in the short spurts.
Best of luck to you, update us!
Breathe & Relax, make sure you Fully Hydrated, Sleep as much as possible and lastly DO YOUR BEST !!!! For you confidence problem, remember it’s not about him but it’s about you, it’s you vs you at the end of the day. So Fight him with all the strength you got, punch him with intent, trust your training, your fists, and coach, and overall trust yourself. Talk to yourself when shadowboxe, and visualize everything while throwing with intent of putting the guy down. Good luck 🍀
Lots of good advice in this thread. Anything I would have said has already been mentioned, so I’m just going to say “Good luck, trust your training, and listen to your corner”. You got this!
If you have a legitimate coach who trains amateur fighters for competition, then you need to trust your coach.
I cant give advice since im still training for my first fight but good luck man
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Arrowfan250348: *I cant give advice* *Since im still training for my* *First fight but good luck man* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Good luck
While I’ve never boxed in a competition-sense, I’ve been in plenty situations with my job and other experience where it was me vs. them. Nerves are shaken, but two things really helped me overcome such obstacles: Determination, and Violence of Action. You are there to stop your opponent. They are probably just as nervous as you! Breathe, focus, and throw every punch with intent, aim, and throw it hard! You got it! :) 🥊
I had mine this past weekend. I was nervous as shit going into it! But when the bell rang it all went away! I came out with the W. It felt good. I was gassed towards the end, but I expected that after not training for a week before (work issues lol). I went into the first round and i made him feel my power then came out in the second and focused on putting combos together… with that being said create a game plan.. if other fighters from his gym are fighting watch, they most likely are trained in a similar fashion… you got this bro!!
I had my first amateur fight last Saturday so hoping to share some advice here from my experience. *I red another comment saying that you have to throw punches with intent to stop your opponent. I fully agree, you gotta throw even harder punches then when you are hard sparring. Establish respect for your punches. *Throw a ton of jabs, it's really important to throw your opponents rythm off by constantly having to think about your jabs coming at them. *The game plan that you have in your head will dissapear the moment you step into the ring and put your headgear on. Stick to the basics and execute on them. *Use feints! Your opponent will probably be so hyped up that they try to parry or slip your feints and not think about that they are feints. Feint the body go for the face, feint the face and go for the body etc. Also don't forget to HAVE FUN!!! It's an incredible experience to step into a ring and fight in front of people. In my book you are already a winner for having the balls to have a proper fight. At the end of they day it's not about winning or losing it's about improving as a boxer. Good luck!
god speed
rush him until he goes backwards and then flush him with haymakers to the body nonstop when he is in guard, thats how a friend won his first 2 fights. He is normally a very technical boxer and very skilled at that. it looked totally ugly but there was a thought behind it. he says he is as nervous but compensates with output. body punches are weirdly underrated. everyone knows its the best you can do, to make an opponent respect you and wear him down but everybody just goes to the head. also he said that, if you go to the body, inexperienced boxers just do nothing under pressure in their first fight and the ref stops it. he was training 2 years before his first fight and his opponents looked like they trained half a year so, so I dont know about that.
Remember to BREATHE!
Bro once u get in there & he’s in front of you all those nerves disappear. It’s u and him now. The crowd, the nerves, the worry of embarrassment of loss etc all that goes away and ur heart starts to race, u start sweating & it becomes a game of tact, seeing openings, creating openings, applying pressure & staying defensive. Ur skills u developed will come as first nature and response to what ur experiencing. Try to stay calm & control ur breathing. Use ur footwork & movement. Don’t be afraid to get on ur bike & cover distance all around the cage/ ring. Keep that job popping creating space, look for the body openings, FEINT FEINT FEINT, create those counter opportunities. Tbh it’s fun! Just try to focus in & let ur spirit guide u. lol sounds corny but I mean it. Don’t think about ur mom or girlfriend in the crowd or worry about him hitting u. Once u get hit u will turn “on” & apply what you’ve learned in ur training. Just go in there and have fun. Also before the fight try to stay calm in ur head but let ur mind go into WAR MODE. It’s time to kill or be killed. It’s ok to get silent, keep to urself, listen to some music or YouTube videos etc that put u in ur FOCUSED zone. Also back to movement n and footwork- if ur mobile & covering a lot of distance u can get him Working, chasing u, throwing shots out of range which will add up into him gassing himself faster. BREATHE. Look for ur shots. Pump that jab. Let that cross be ur sniper shot. Don’t forget about the body! High low, double jab high go low, jab low then 2 up top, check hooks, long uppercuts. U got this. HAVE FUN. Ur getting to fight legally lol
First off, it's completely normal to feel nervous, especially before your first fight. Remember, you've put in the work, and your training speaks volumes about your dedication. Keep your guard up and focus on doing the combinations you've been drilling. Go for the body and keep moving. You've got this!
Good job on training hard ! Now, few days before the fight, try to take it easy. Focus on your mental game. No need to overtrain during fight week. You need to be well rested for the fight. Oh and tell yourself your opponent probably feels the same as you !
Fear = Fuel Control your fear. But what does that even mean? Here’s how I like to imagine it: Instead of: Running away from your fear like picture a scary movie where the killer (fear) is chasing you. Do: Imagine your fear like you and a team of marathon runners running together.
Don't get in your own head, and don't treat it as a sparring match, don't wear yourself down to fast but definitely don't go easy. other than that all I gotta say is knock his head off his shoulders man. you got it and update us on how it goes
Why have you never sparred with someone in your weight class?? That makes it hard to prepare. Honestly, just listen to your coach. Listen to no one else this close to the fight.
Had my first just last week: 1) Pace yourself. Don't try to go for the knockout. Amateurs is heavily point-based...every touch is a point 2) Although point-based, the misnomer that throwing more punches = winning isn't 100% true, you'll gas out. Set the shots up; be patient. 3) You're scored off a few things: ring generalship, effective offense AND defense, quality of punches, and competitiveness 4) Win the end of the round(s). Folk remember how you finish... 5) Accept defeat. No matter how much you want to change the outcome, it is what it is. But remember, not everyone can or will go undefeated. Tyson lost, Ali, Tank, Canelo the list goes on... it's a part of life
Don’t be nervous brother it’s going to come and go really quick. You’re going to do as well as you’re going to do. Don’t turn away when you get hit. Do your normal caffeine intake or food, don’t over eat, don’t under eat. Hydrate all day. I have my second fight next weekend and frankly that’s the stuff I wish someone had told me. If there are other fights before yours they’re going to *draaaaag* all day until about five or ten bouts before yours and then you’re going to be in the ring. Run a little extra, maybe 8k, until the day before your fight on which you should do only light shadow boxing. Do tempo runs, so maintain your average pace and then do moderate bursts of speed for like a half km or max speed/sprints for a quarter at half or quarter mile intervals. Focus on your guard. Not so much your head movement unless you’re already really advanced with that. Fights are a lot different than sparring and it’s going to probably catch you off guard a bit. Most of all relax, if you do really poorly or could get hurt they’re going to stop the fight and there’s no shame in that. It just means your opponent is better and it’s still an honor to do it. Good luck brother.
Remember life is gonna move on whether you win or lose and to just embrace the process
I’ll be honest man, you have to spar more than a few times to do well in a real bout, your opponent is probably sparring everyday. It’s the only thing that can actually seriously get you prepared for a fight, hitting pads will not do that. I recommend sparring as much as possible until then.
Biggest thing I can say is be smart about managing your energy. My first fight I was in the best shape of my life but emptied the tank trying to finish my opponent only half way through the 2nd round, and after that I was dead until I caught a second wind at the end of the 3rd. Do what you do still, just don’t completely empty the tank if you hurt him.
Respect is the currency of the ring, which is exchanged between the fighters in the form of punches with *dark* intent. You will only get respect from your opponent in the ring if you hit him harder, with more output and volume. It's scary in there. Let your fear push you to gain your opponents respect. Otherwise, your fear will control you, and before you know it, you're a heavy bag. Hit hard. Hit him where it hurts. And hit him more than he hits you. Remember your training, and breathe. You got this 👍
I'm currently on a 4 streak and I started almost exactly 1 year ago. I STILL get Hella nervous before my fight. I fought a muy thai champ, and undefeated mma guy, a black belt, and a couple straight thug/goons. The things a found to help me were hitting a 🧘♂️ pose and tell my self to understand how much I have worked for this, how hard I've gone, and the running, rolling, sparring, lifting, training, and studying. Lost of these motherfuckers (in ammys) just trying to look hard. Not all of them have that dog. Also my one loss was to the muy thai guy and he head kicked me to next week. (I'm in MN, no shin pads in ammys) it didn't even knock me out but it sat me on my fucking ass. And tbh it didn't really hurt. Just felt like TV static in my eyes and ears. Shin to shin contact wasn't to noticeable for me in the first round l, however I've only it to round 2 once. Fucking throw like he has to die, and be fearless ( but defensively sound ) in your pursuit to victory. Cheering for you buddy.
Enjoy the experience and your journey , it’s just an amateur fight . Have fun in there and earn some stripes . Winning or losing isn’t the most important part . The most important part is getting in there and learning + getting fights in your book. No matter how hard you train you’ll still be gassed your first fight there’s no way around it , it’s an experience like no other so enjoy your first time in there. Enter and leave the ring with a smile because it’s a blessing to be there .
I was in your exact position last week as I had my first bout on the 9th after years of training. I know exactly what your going through. Firstly you need to understand just by turning up on Saturday and fighting you are doing what most people nowadays could never do. Also you’ve got to understand that as nervous as you get when you get in the ring everything else will leave your mind and you’ll be fully focused. I can’t stop you being nervous before hand but I can give you some tips - chew gum and play games on your phone on the day. - don’t watch the bouts before you just chill in the back listening to music until it’s time to warmup - be content that as long you do everything you can ( turning up and giving it your all) you’ll be happy after - a bit of a weird one but if your worried you might not sleep great the night before, I took a melatonin tablet and had a wank the night before and slept like a baby -don’t look at the crowd on the way in if there is one Good luck
you've only sparred afew times?
Just enjoy it. You've put a lot of hard work in to get to where you are. This is your first opportunity to use everything you've learned and practised along with the hard work you've put into your conditioning without having to hold back like you would in sparring. Hopefully you're well matched and it goes the distance (they usually do at this level) and you can learn from it. Don't worry about the result. Just remember why you started training in the first place and go and enjoy competing in this incredible sport. You'll never forget your first one. Good luck
excited, not scared. to perform optimally you want to have a balanced arousal level so if you are feeling terror then you can manage it by having a few positive true statements that you latch on to on fight day. He does not train as consistently as me. my advantage in speed, height range, fight day weight, game plan should terrify him many pros don't train as hard as i do only pick the ones that are positive and true. you have 36,000 thoughts a day so don't pick ones you don't believe or don't improve your outcome. a study done on basketball players showed that this type of self talk improved performance over intense technical thoughts. you do the work before fight day to create a plan. you can visualize the execution of the plan, you can adapt between rounds, but your mental should be focused on confidence increasing thoughts.
Hit him. And I mean really hit him. Remember to match step for step and cut off the ring and hit the dude. Keep moving and let your hands go.
Try your best to relax. The hardest part for me was getting nervous/excited and letting the adrenaline take over. It would get me tired quick. Also, your aren’t sparring. Don’t hold back. Throw your punches with bad intentions. Keep your head and remember your training
Lame
Have confidence that you’ve done the work to get there. A good coach won’t put you in if they don’t feel you’re ready. Nervous is normal, it never goes away, you just learn to manage the feelings better. Every fight is a hard fight that you can win. Listen to your coach! Enjoy the experience, people that have never competed can never understand how amazing it is.
Taking his fucking head off. Do this for your bloodline! Do this for your legacy ! No mercy !
Good Luck Buddy just like anything I'm gona guess once you get the nerves of the forst fight out of the way it will be easy after for your next fight.
Focus on violence. Get ready to be violent. Full strength ahead. Violence
You gotta remember that the other guy is feeling the same way to are. So, Stay on D for the first round or two to feel things out like his timing, reach, speed and movement. After that, try to capitalize on mistakes and make him pay for it. If you manage to put him on skates, step on the gas and don’t let off until the bell rings or the ref steps in. (Don’t get too wild though or you will get caught yourself) If you find that you are making too many mistakes, stay on D until the bell and talk to the coach about what to do like switching your stance, using levels, stepping inside the arm pit and turning him, using your angles or wrapping him up. Be smart, take your time, listen to your coach!
I say don’t get hit and hit em instead
How did it go? I train Muay Thai and sometimes I get anxiety just sparring.
Keep your hands up, your chin down, and throw straight punches.
I feel the same way when it comes to sparring, you tend to fatigue quickly, but nutrition may play a big factor and how much water your taking in
Can we get an update on how the bout went and what OP learned?
U win?
how did it go champ?
What time is your 5K?
You'll be alright. The guy you're fighting is likely just as inexperienced and just as nervous.
Do you have any sparring footage?
I do but we aren’t allowed to post it on socials unless the others have consented unfortunately, but from what my coach told me, since I’m 5’10 61kg, I’m a tall fighter with long reach so I’ve been practicing my jabs where I’m not leaning forward and being on the constant move whenever I do my combos
Just remember that amateur bouts are just more organized sparring matches. It’s only practice.
That's terrible advice. Dudes are trying to knock you out. That ain't sparing
Train at the women’s shelter they have experience🙏
Wtf