CONTENTS:Profile .............................................................................................. Page 2Respect the Sport ........................................................................... Page 3Keep your fights in The Ring ....................................................... Page 4Hydrate with water not alcohol ................................................... Page 5Say no to drugs .............................................................................. Page 6You are an athlete put your training first ................................... Page 7Commitment ................................................................................. Page 9Professionalism ............................................................................ Page 10Keep a healthy body and a healthy mind ................................. Page 11Style is key make yourself memorable ..................................... Page 12Remember where you came from ............................................. Page 13Credits .......................................................................................... Page 14

RESPECT THE SPORT

“It’s so important for me to keep things in perspective. This sport like so many others has a lot of risks. I’m always on top of myself to make sure I’m prepared for not only my match but everything that comes with it; the press, the fans, the opponent, everything really. I think a lot of it is about training hard and respect. As a boxer respect is apart of your training, respect for yourself, your trainer, team of supporters, and ultimately respect for the sport; when it comes down to it you are punching someone in the face and body. The goal in a match is dominantly to win , to find that extra bit of energy inside you or successfully deliver the new combo work you’ve been killing yourself to nail, but never to kill someone. It’s a match of skill and persever-ance not a bar brawl.”

Respect is crucial to most any form of ath-letic sport in some way or another. Get yourself some and incorporate it into your training. This is not to say let people (opponents, press, hat-ers, management, sponsors) walk all over you. Respect is reciprocated, it is a strength not a weakness when you truly understand it. In training, know your limits don’t be foolish and injure yourself. In a match know why your there, your performance should be about you, not your op-ponent. When your out in public remember you are now representing the orga-nization and yourself, be smart and keep your head above the influences.

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KEEP YOUR FIGHTS IN THE RING

“You definitely need to learn control, fighting and injury can have a huge impact on not only the body but also your brain. When you go out always be in control, last thing you want before a match is a beer bottle crushed into the back of your head... or worse.”

Don’t be stupid, DON’T get into fights in public. You are a trained professional, the hater cussing at you is most likely overweight and unhappy with his own life (not worth it). People are always watching you and everyone keeps a camera at the ready, all it takes is one bad photo to ruin the reputation you spent time, sweat, and blood building. Fighting in public could get you arrested, kinda hard to show up for a match when your behind

bars with a home-less guy who smells like vomit and urine. You are not getting paid for a bar brawl my friend, you’re a professional the only donations you should be making are to charities. Avoid the heated scenes, in addition to a shat-tered reputation unorganized fights could land you in-jured beyond repair, ending your career or your life. If you’re temper is getting the best of you, get to the gym and go one on one with the heavy bag. Hit the weight room not the baboon at the bar.

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HYDRATE WITH WATER, NOT ALCOHOL

Drinking will not only terrorize your image, it will inhibit your per-formance. Alcohol breaks down as sugar in your body, aside from the immediate impairing effects it has it can lead to long term damage of your brain and organ function. Don’t be seen drinking copious amount of alcohol, especially if you are looking to be successful in this business. NO boxer will take an avid drinker seriously, no fan wants to cheer for a boxer who doesn’t care about their performance, and no

company wants to be endorsed by a hangover. Water not quenching your thirst? Need a buzz? Then grab a Gatoroid.

SAY NO TO DRUGS

Any substance whether it be illegal, controlled, prescription, performance enhancement should be avoided. Abusing substances in any form will not only be detrimental to your public image, it is a slippery slope to get stuck on. You can easily funnel your en-tire income into an addiction, be caught for using substances while fighting tainting your career and reputation, or quickly overdose ending your life. Using drugs is never the solution to any problem you may be facing. If you feel yourself turning to substances for any reason contact Addiction Canada toll-free 1 866 220 6151 for help.

“You never want to get tangled up in the drug scene. Not only do we loose so many athletes and public icons to substance over-dose, it can de-rail your career and tear apart all your relationships (professional and personal). Every fight night you go out and throw down your best, never give anyone the op-portunity to ques-tion you skills and success.”

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YOU ARE AN ATHLETEPUT YOUR TRAINING FIRST

Commitment to your training will put you in the public’s eye as a serious boxer. When you enter the professional league you never want to be taken lightly or assumed to be an easy defeat. Show up to every training session, and every fight prepared. Never stop pushing to reach high-er, set progressive goals for yourself, keep motivated and stay mentally and physically focused. Don’t let the temptations money and fame present distract you from what you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

“Training is the only way to succeed in this industry. Get yourself a trainer who will push, encourage, and support you. You need a strong team in your corner both in and out of the area. I am always working on strategy, this is as much a physical game as it mental. I’ve made the gym my second home, I have a schedule that prioritizes train-ing and I stick to it. That is so key to being success-ful and confident when fight night rolls up. In interviews and public appearances I always stress how much I rely on training and how important it is to any pro or amateur athlete.”

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CO

MM

ITM

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PROFESSIONALISM

“Boxing is a rough edge sport, but we still have to be conscious of our presence outside a fight. I always make sure I look pre-sentable for interviews and press releases, I want to maintain a professional appearance. I also try to watch the way I phrase things, sometime the media can nab you for saying something off putting and then your labeled the cusser or the knuckle head. The only thing I want people to rec-ognize me for are my moves on the mat and of course my style out on the street.”

It’s a good idea to own some clothes that don’t have an underarmour label on them and smell better than your gym bag. Get some suits and dress shirts, and hey while your at it grab some nice silk ties. You can have edge and still look like you shower regularly. Show up to important events and fights in a suit, fans will want pictures with you when you step off the plane so clean up.

Commit to your program.Training, media related events, fights, fund raisers, shows and other organized appearance, contracts, and signatures. When you say you’ll be somewhere com-mit and show up, nobody likes a flake. It’s important to consider how public appearances outside a match will impact your image. You want to show your apprecia-tion for the support you receive from your fans, and brands will want you as a spokesperson when you follow through on your word. Whether you’re being paid for the appearance or you’ve agreed to it pro-bono make sure YOU are actually in attendance not your chauffeur or image consultant.

“For me commitment is a mantra, you have to commit yourself 100% to be a well-rounded contender in this industry.”

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KEEP A HEALTHY BODYAND A HEALTHY MINDIn a physical contact sport the risk of mental illness is increased. Taking care of your mind will help you see things in a realistic perspective. It is im-portant to be aware of the impacts of mental illness and support the numerous organizations that help people who are struggling with this. Repressing topics surrounding mental illness is a thing of the past, it is good for the public to see that you are aware of the implica-tions of physical contact sport and are lending your support to those in need.

“Awareness is key, I always try to get involved with the organizations that help people out, they do such amazing things for people and it’s important to me that I give some of my time to a growing outreach.”

STYLE IS KEY

MAKE YOURSELF

MEMORABLE

Whether it be a signature move, a tattoo, a wild design on your short SE, crazy facial hair or pre-match ritual make sure you find something to distinguish yourself from the pack. Style is impor-tant out of the ring as well; the way you dress, groom and carry yourself, speak, and address the public all play a role in defining your style. Be sure to dress professional for public appearances outside the ring, keep yourself well groomed, that means taking showers and brushing your teeth too. Carry yourself with pride (not arrogance) and speak with confidence and elegance, swearing during a speech or interview can be construed as rude and igno-rant.

“Ya style is definitely important to me. I got the name [The Kid] from my trainer who is one of the few who have seen me without facial hair. The facial hair can be a challenge in the ring when your Vaseline’d up to control the swelling and bleeding it can get in the beard and harden up real quick. I’m known for my right jab and KO record in the rings. Outside the ring I get pretty carried away, I have a huge shoe collec-tion, and you’ll never see me without a nice pair of shades on.”

It’s important to have your own style, something that people recog-nize you by; figure out how you ap-proach a bout and work that angle to your advantage.

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CREDITS:UPC bar code http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BarcodeAll photographs, written content, spotlight quotations created and supplied by Amanda AbouiKO| 101 Guide for Boxers From Streets to Stadium created by Amanda Aboui

REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM

“Being so close with my family keeps me in check, they are a great support system and I’m so grateful to have them always there for me. Remembering the long road to get to where I am now keeps me humble, I will never forget ev-erything and everyone who helped me get to where I am now.”

101 Guide for Boxers| From Streets to StadiumKO Magazine A Division of Sports Canada Publications