The first thing to understand if you’re interested in getting into amateur boxing is to know that idea may change several times. The idea of boxing can sound cool to some people. Maybe one has been in a bar fight and faired well. Maybe he or she is generally a tough person who excelled in other sports.
The thing about boxing is that it is often not what it seems. It is a long and dedicated process of ups and downs, and it is so much harder to do in action than it looks. So I suggest always to crawl before you stand and get knocked down.
Start with the basics
The first step is to find a boxing gym that has a stable of competition fighters and do the basics for at least 3 months. If you can train in a disciplined way, on your own without having to be in a group and without needing a drill sergeant or a “stop-watch-coach”, then you’re well on your way to make progress towards becoming an amateur boxer.
By the way, “stop-watch-coach” is a coach who stands next to you telling you exactly when to do things, especially when it’s something you can do on your own. It’s important to have the drive to train by yourself without being watched if you want to be successful as an amateur boxer.
After training consistently for 3 months and looking almost perfect and “official”, you can start light drills. Light drills for boxers who are on track to becoming competitive boxers usually start 3 to 8 months from the start of training. The worst boxers start much earlier.
It’s ironic because the best crop of fighters spend many months just doing basics so they don’t build bad habits. They’re also the ones who understand the process sped up is the process cheated.
How long does it take to become an amateur boxer
A year is the standard time it takes to enter an amateur – this is for a disciplined boxer who trains a modest 7 hours a week in the gym. A seasoned coach (used to solely be called trainers) will know when a fighter is ready. An unwritten rule and sort of a secret in boxing is that a coach will never go to a boxer first.
But there’s a fine-line, because if a boxer isn’t on weight and in shape, isn’t running, isn’t attending so regularly that the coach can’t avoid him/her, isn’t participating in drills and always ready to step-up, yet the boxer voices that he’s ready and begs for fights, a coach will not take the boxer seriously—and he shouldn’t. Those boxers seldom make it.
For those boxers who show the determination and desire to compete AND who have the ability to perform well in spars that the coach oversees, a coach may decide that it’s time for a “show.”
A show is a scheduled fight (sanctioned boxing that has a winner and loser) that a matchmaker/promoter links two fighters for a bout depending on their class (age, weight, experience level).
The beginning competition for boxers are sub-novice (0-2 fights in some places) or novice (0-10 fights). Someone with 11-20 fights is called open. And Elites are age 19-40 with 21+ fights. To fight in national competitions, boxers have to have 50% wins. Depending on how skilled the fighter is will tell what’s next. Some people are never good enough to compete. This happens at all levels. Sometimes it depends on how driven someone is.
The Mindset of a Great Amateur Boxer
An important thing to note is that coaches don’t want to invest in bucket-list boxers, people who want to just fight to get their feet wet in a sanctioned bout and move on to something else. The dedication peers through, and everyone knows who’s serious and has a purpose.
Purpose in fighting is being moved to fight, and fight some more, searching for the next challenge. The ultimate goal is not to be the best. A fighter’s ultimate goal is to fight the best. The ones who want momentary glory never last. This is what coaches want their fighters to find in themselves… purpose.
Better to have a man whose purpose is being around a sport he loves than someone who is trying to find purpose in receiving a trophy that is neither birthright nor a symbol that has meaning even if no-one else in the world knew the trophy existed as his.
