Boxing tournament 5 weeks away. 1st fight!

[OLQA]

My trainer asked me if I want to enter a tournament on July 12th and I initially told him yes but am now thinking things a little more and am wondering if you guys can provide some insight and guidance.

I started boxing 3 months ago. I currently weigh 191lbs and am hoping to drop down to 178lbs novice. With that being said, I have done some situational sparring and normal sparring with my trainer at least twice per week (I have been sparring with him for 2 weeks now). He is a 51 year old former professional boxer who weighs 279lbs. I have not sparred anyone else. He plans on taking me soon to another gym so I can get some sparring against people my size and weight.

Please note, I am able to last 3 rounds without any serious conditioning issues (of course I am breathing hard).

I understand no one is ever perfectly ready, but sometimes just taking the fight is the best course of action as it really allows boxers to learn.

With that said though, I must get more sparring with guys closer to my size and with guys who won't hold back on me. It's good to spar other amateurs as they don't know me and will naturally let their hands go more than a coach would who is training me.

The tournament is called the 4th annual New York City Boxing Tournament and will be held at Gleason's gym in Brooklyn from July 12th through July 27th. Are you guys familiar with this tournament?

Also, what are the signs that I am ready for my first fight?

[OLQA]

Bumping this thread.

[greynotsoold]

Take your shot. by the time the tourney comes up you'll be almost 6 months in. See how the sparring coming up goes. You can always back out then if you aren't ready. A fighter can't ever be afraid to get his ass kicked.
I think Emile Griffith won a NYGG on less experience.

[iceman1]

Just got to go in the ring
With the mentality you will win
Use the jab effectively and pounce when opportunity arises don't go using in

[OLQA]

Take your shot. by the time the tourney comes up you'll be almost 6 months in. See how the sparring coming up goes. You can always back out then if you aren't ready. A fighter can't ever be afraid to get his ass kicked.
I think Emile Griffith won a NYGG on less experience.

Good point about closing in on 6 months. I think the biggest deciding factor will be how I do with sparring other amateurs in different gyms.

[OLQA]

Just got to go in the ring
With the mentality you will win
Use the jab effectively and pounce when opportunity arises don't go using in

Thanks. The tournament actually awards a belt to the winner of the 178lb novice weight class, so it is pretty cool. If I sign-up, my intention is to win the entire tournament.

[OLQA]

Since I have 5 weeks to cut to 178, I am going to start doing some roadwork before boxing.

I am thinking of running 4 times per week. One of these runs will be sprints and the other three days will be dedicated to long distance runs (3 to 5 miles).

Also, how many days per week should I spar? I think my coach said something like three times per week but I can't remember. I have to ask him again on Wednesday.

I will not be doing any weight training during these 5 weeks.

Here is what my schedule will look like:

Monday
- Roadwork (sprints)
- Boxing

Tuesday
- Roadwork (5 miles)
- Boxing

Wednesday
- Roadwork (3 miles)
- Boxing

Thursday
- Boxing

Friday
- Roadwork (5 miles)
- Boxing

Saturday
- Off

Sunday
- Off

If you guys can give any advice on how I plan to map things out as I have listed above, please let me know.

[L32Edwards]

Boxing's all about learning so give this tourney a try whether you win or lose your gonna gain some valuable experience and its going to boost your confidence and make you a better boxer

[DIB42]

The best thing is experience, and you have an opportunity to gain some of that in this tourney. I'd say go for it, make sure you film it, hopefully with a proper camera. If other people are filming fights (which they inevitably will be) see if you can get copies of their videos, as they'll probably have different angles than you do.

Then have fun, and a few days after the tourney, sit with your trainer and watch and re watch your matches and breakdown what you did, what you didn't do, and what you need to do. . . . etc etc

[Prince Mongo]

Since I have 5 weeks to cut to 178, I am going to start doing some roadwork before boxing.

I am thinking of running 4 times per week. One of these runs will be sprints and the other three days will be dedicated to long distance runs (3 to 5 miles).

Also, how many days per week should I spar? I think my coach said something like three times per week but I can't remember. I have to ask him again on Wednesday.

I will not be doing any weight training during these 5 weeks.

Here is what my schedule will look like:

Monday
- Roadwork (sprints)
- Boxing

Tuesday
- Roadwork (5 miles)
- Boxing

Wednesday
- Roadwork (3 miles)
- Boxing

Thursday
- Boxing

Friday
- Roadwork (5 miles)
- Boxing

Saturday
- Off

Sunday
- Off

If you guys can give any advice on how I plan to map things out as I have listed above, please let me know.

Your conditioning program should replicate your event. You are going to be fighting 3 hard fast rounds,so your road work should replicate this. You are better off with intense hill sprints and short fast paced runs than 5 miles long distance low tempo runs.Your event is over in 11 minutes taking into account your 1 minute breaks. 5 mile runs will take you well over half an hour. Once you can do distance running you are not going to see big gains by doing loads of it. You can train long or hard but not long and hard,so go at it hard as this will be more in line with your actual fights otherwise if you have long low tempo training sessions you won't be prepared for the short,fast intensity of the actual boxing bouts. If you are conditioned to go at hard for 3 fast minutes you will have the jump on your opponent if he has not trained likewise.
I would also like you to define what you mean by "boxing". Training should fall into 2 categories
1)SKILL BUILDING AND REFINEMENT
2)FIGHT SIMULATION ( Where you create conditions that replicate your event)
That means if you are on the pads or bag don't just go through the motions go at it like you are in a real fight 3 x3 hard minutes. You won't be able to stay in the gym for hours if if you work hard but as I said you can work hard or long but you won't be able to do both.
If you are not doing 1 or 2 you are boxercising which is a form of excercise but not training. Most people's training falls into boxercise and not real training.Think about it you want to own the skills and train yourself to use those skills in an actual event so your training needs to support those goals. Loads of slack low tempo boxercise and distance running is not going to help you when it is on so do things that will get your body and mind prepared for when it is crunch time.