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The coach called my name. Everything changed. This is a journey about growth, rebuilding, and chasing dreams. Every step of my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh, every setback, and every breakthrough gets documented here. Welcome to the ride.
Day 160 Summary Highlights
✅ Selected for the upcoming boxing tournament.
✅ Drilled 3 complex combinations with the coach.
✅ Completed 4 intense rounds of sparring.
✅ Weight check: 70.5 kg (Under the 71 kg limit).
First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh: The Day Everything Got Real
Thursday started slowly. After some trouble sleeping and waking at 4:25 AM for suhoor, I managed to get a bit more rest before starting the day with a cold shower to shock the system into gear. I spent the morning focused on blog strategy, uploading posts from both the beginning of my journey and the most recent days. Seeing the Day 1 version of myself alongside where I am now is a powerful reminder of how far I have come.
The system is getting smoother with better internal links and high quality photo documentation, ensuring the narrative of this journey remains clear for anyone following along. Despite the muscle soreness in my back, biceps, and triceps from the week’s grind, the energy shifted the moment I headed to the gym. The stiff body was a reminder of the work done, but the mind was already focused on the next level of my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh.
Afternoon Session: Selected, Pad Work, and Three Combinations
I arrived 10 minutes early to get my head in the game with some light running. When the coach made the announcement, it was a moment of pure validation: I have been selected for the upcoming tournament. This is the official launch of my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh. The afternoon warm-up was full intensity. Heels to the back, high knees, sprints, and constant movement left my eyes burning from sweat. All of this while fasting.
The body runs on fat during a fasted session and what feels like fatigue is mostly the mind sending the wrong signals. Push through it and the performance is still there. We drilled 3 specific combinations today, focusing on rhythm and defensive transitions. The coach even had me demonstrate them in front of the group:
- The Vision Drill: left uppercut , cross, slip right, then fire back with a cross-hook-cross. The key was keeping the eyes on the target even during the slip to avoid getting countered.
- The Level Change: Jab, jab, cross to the face to pull the opponent’s guard up, then immediately switching to heavy hooks to the left and right side of the body. Punishing the ribs while they worry about their head.
- The Defensive Reset: left Uppercut, cross, slip, cross, hook, cross, followed by a double roll (right and left) before finishing with a final cross-hook. This is about staying safe while ending the exchange on your terms. The group had their own drill. The coach took me for private pad work. The instructions were technical: stay heavy and powerful at range to keep the opponent back, but shift to fast, light footwork the second the distance closes. It was a masterclass in ring generalship, teaching me how to dictate the pace of the fight.
Weight Check: I stepped on the scale at 70.5 kg. I am officially under the 71 kg limit. Now, the goal is to maintain this weight while keeping my strength and energy levels high. In my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh, the scale is just as much of an opponent as the person across the ring, and today, I won that battle.
Evening Session: Four Rounds of Sparring
After breaking my fast and a quick rest, I was back for the evening session of my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh. We had 12 fighters on the mats, and the intensity was palpable. I went through 4 rounds of sparring, facing Zain twice, Abdullah, and Omar. Sparring lighter, faster opponents forced me to work on my timing and jab precision. I stayed disciplined, kept my guard high, and focused on the clinch work the coach recommended for close-quarters control. Using the clinch strategically allowed me to reset the pace whenever the exchanges got too chaotic or my breathing got heavy.
The coach’s instruction from the afternoon carried into the sparring: jab to the face, jab to the body, two hooks left and right, use the clinch when close. The steps are there. The timing needs more sessions. We finished the night of First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh with partner core work, 30 crunches while touching gloves at different heights twice, and a round of controlled body shots against the wall to toughen up the midsection for the tournament.
Day 160 Lesson
Selection changes the psychology of the gym. You are no longer just training; you are preparing for a specific test. Every drop of sweat and every punch thrown in my First Boxing Tournament Preparation Riyadh now has a clear purpose. The work was always serious, but now it has a deadline and a stage. The question now is not whether to show up, but how sharp I can be when it counts.
Day 160 complete. The grind continues and the road to the tournament is open.
👉 When you find out you have been selected for your first boxing tournament, how does that change the way you approach training, and what would you prioritize in the final weeks?