questions regarding preparation for first amateur fight

[IrishMichaelT]

I live in a small rural town and have recently gotten into boxing..ive bought a speedbag with everlast mounting kit, double end bag, I have mits, 14 oz fairtex gloves and fairtex Mexican style bag gloves for mit work, wraps, heavy bag on stand...

my question is can I effectively prepare ~myself~ for an amateur fight without a coach? I have a friend who is willing to spar with me to prepare...

theres a boxing gym an hour away...im guessing in the least I would need to do a few private lessons a week to cover my bases?

[DLT]

how old are you

[Tay Roc]

Study videos of Ali Raymi. To be the best, you need to learn from the best.

[DannYankee]

I live in a small rural town and have recently gotten into boxing..ive bought a speedbag with everlast mounting kit, double end bag, I have mits, 14 oz fairtex gloves and fairtex Mexican style bag gloves for mit work, wraps, heavy bag on stand...

my question is can I effectively prepare ~myself~ for an amateur fight without a coach? I have a friend who is willing to spar with me to prepare...

theres a boxing gym an hour away...im guessing in the least I would need to do a few private lessons a week to cover my bases?

Hit the other guy and dont let him hit you...Now go get em champ!

If need more master instructions just go Watch Guillermo Rigondeaux pro or amateur, and your'e good, but stand up close to the tv so you can absorb the gold medal juice coming off it.

[datastream]

If you can get to the boxing gym once or twice a week to spar with some people with experience and to get some pointers and critiquing to take home for drilling you should be good. Also watch a lot of videos. Absorb as much as you can while at the boxing gym. Fix your mistakes while drilling.

[IrishMichaelT]

If you can get to the boxing gym once or twice a week to spar with some people with experience and to get some pointers and critiquing to take home for drilling you should be good. Also watch a lot of videos. Absorb as much as you can while at the boxing gym. Fix your mistakes while drilling.

appreciate it guys..and im 29...ill keep watching them videos then and sparring maybe throw someprivate lessons in when I can

[saintpat]

Don't try boxing without a coach, without some structure, without someone to show you what mistakes you need to correct. Make the hour's drive 2-3 days a week or find a way to relocate somewhere where there is a gym you can get to.

[datastream]

Don't try boxing without a coach, without some structure, without someone to show you what mistakes you need to correct. Make the hour's drive 2-3 days a week or find a way to relocate somewhere where there is a gym you can get to.

Agreed. Don't start off drilling bad habits into your body.

[edgarg]

appreciate it guys..and im 29...ill keep watching them videos then and sparring maybe throw someprivate lessons in when I can

My suggestion to you is, that you are too old to begin to learn to box, so as to have competition fights -unless you enjoy being hit on the nose. However it's no harm to learn, but I would seriously suggest that whilst you can watch as many videos as you like, they are experienced Pro boxers who likely had 5-6-10 years of amateur experience, already. And the Amateurs are totally different, as if it were a different sport. Nowadays anyway.

I would SERIOUSLY avoid getting in to spar with anyone in a gym right now, because it's just asking to be beaten up, unless it is completely under the eye of the right sort of coach (there are some who just say "hit him hard...harder". etc.) and your spar-mate is an understanding sort of guy who is not looking for "scalps' as many in gyms are...

I would study videos of the basic punches, and stances (very important are the stance and) proper balance, movement, etc. and practice for several months on the HEAVY and MEDIUM BAGS. You have to become comfortable with your movement, you won't get it from sparring. It's different when you have to concentrate on what the other guy will do. first you must perfect what you want to do on the bag.

As to the left jab, I'd just think about a fencer making a thrust,(snap it out) and do NOT make the bad mistake of pulling back your fist before you shoot it forward (this telegraphs the punch). Try to make sure that your left shoulder automatically raises when your arm goes out. It helps to protect your chin. Also do NOT drop or wing-out your right fist when you throw your left; It looks "dapper" but is a huge error. This is called the "bow and arrow" habit..... Ali did it and was always open to a left hook..

And when you eventually throw your right cross, after your left, (both crossing in "midstream") make sure that you are bringing your left back in the same straight line, as you punched out, otherwise you will leave your chin open for a counter right following (over) your left back.

If your trainer then tells you that you can have your first amateur fight, well..then... do it at least for the experience.

There was a very interesting-in this context- happening a few years ago. There is a boxing writer named "Benny "Big Dog" Henderson, who'd been writing about boxing for years, and suddenly wanted to feel what it was like to have a pro fight. From pictures of him I'd say he was at least 400 lbs, and he said he was enormously obese, but he trained and trained for months, and would tell us how much weight he was taking off..... and then he had his 4 round fight. He got through it OK, barely, and then "retired". He wanted to do it and he did it. So he was happy.

I don't know if I have been any help, I hope I have. I don't think that any of the above posters have given you good advice, they don't seem to know anything bout boxing, but you are the judge.

[Weltschmerz]

I live in a small rural town and have recently gotten into boxing..ive bought a speedbag with everlast mounting kit, double end bag, I have mits, 14 oz fairtex gloves and fairtex Mexican style bag gloves for mit work, wraps, heavy bag on stand...

my question is can I effectively prepare ~myself~ for an amateur fight without a coach? I have a friend who is willing to spar with me to prepare...

theres a boxing gym an hour away...im guessing in the least I would need to do a few private lessons a week to cover my bases?

If you really want this, don't let anything negative people might say on here affect your ambition.

I'd say you definitely need a good coach. This friend of yours, does he know how to box? You probably need a sparring partner who's a better boxer than yourself. Good luck.