School hasn’t been the nicest to me, or at least, I haven’t been the nicest to school. It’s been really hard for me to get up and actually do my work in class. So graduating has been difficult, not just because of grades, but internally. Thinking about what happens next is scary especially when you have no clue on what you want to do.

Every day after school I would go outside and meet up with my friends. Somehow boxing gloves got tossed around in our hangouts. My first fight was a very inexperienced fight but very much worth the punches. Dodging and weaving is the most fun. Getting missed when someone is trying to hit you takes the edge off, but sometimes I need those hits, in order, to make my face stronger and more used to it. Being a short guy with a somewhat medium build takes a lot to take a power punch from anyone. Once the third stage comes around, unstable legs follow it. This makes your fold loosen up – making you more vulnerable to every punch. This is why stamina is important in boxing a twelve-three minute rounds.

Taking a fight as a “friendly” fight and not as a threat is something I did. But in order to make it feel as much of a boxing match as possible, you have to take it as the person in front of you being a threat to you. I realized during a fight, it’s all about technique and patience. Having these skills, can not only make you an athletic boxer but can set you up to become a leader in life. For that reason, I’ve chosen to do this after high school. It may not go the way I want it, but I’m willing to take my chances.