Self-Expression – Voices 40

We only use two hands. There’s only so much you can do with two hands, so you have to be creative.

Finding angles, having tactics, going inside and outside. Find openings that people don’t expect.

There’s only six or seven different punches you can do. You can’t go outside of that or it’s not boxing anymore. You have to be creative and find ways to find an opening and score.

It also keeps you physically fit. It’s endurance, and also strength.

When you’re competing, you’re obviously alone. You have no one to blame but yourself. You’re 100% accountable.

It’s also good for self-defense. You gotta remember it’s only you in there. If you can’t do it, if you’re scared, it really helps build your confidence, especially when you reach that top physical shape.

Boxing also helped me develop mental toughness. That’s a big thing. When you’re doing workouts, just endless amounts of pushups, pullups, sit-ups, running, cardio, it really helps you build mental toughness.

When you’re boxing, you have to understand that those punches really hurt. You can’t be afraid to get hit. You can’t be afraid to get hurt.

People get hurt in life all the time. It doesn’t necessarily have to be physical.

You just have to pick yourself back up. You just have to push on and learn from it.

Even in school, if you’re studying for this hard exam, and you’re feeling sleepy, but you know you gotta get this done, it really gives you self-discipline.

When school starts, I try to shadow box, work on my technique, do cardio—I like running a lot. I do a lot of pull-ups and a lot of plyometric and gymnastics movements. I try to spar two times every week.

I feel like I communicate that I want to win, because you have to want it. But also it’s about acknowledging the other person’s skill and being recognized.

You obviously recognize your opponent’s skill, and you respect him. But you also want to win.

So it’s more about proving to yourself that you can do it. It’s all about trying to finish a round, trying to beat the odds. It carries over to everyday life.