growing through boxing

By Angel E.

What is the best martial art to exist? A lot of people have different opinions but most people may agree the best martial art is the one and only: boxing. 

When people think of boxing, they think of some dangerous sport that causes head injuries. Although that is true, there is so much more to boxing than just hurting each other. Boxing is more of a self-defense sport that people also use in a way to compete. 

According to a source by “Legends Boxing” , boxing is a sport that originated in Egypt. This sport was originally made for the attempt to kill one another. Using metal plates and fighting till death, this sport wasn’t much of a sport. That was until boxing was first introduced as a formal Olympic event in the 23rd Olympiad which was in the 688 BCE. 

Yes, boxing was a sport but it wasn’t a well organized sport until Ancient Greece introduced rules into the sport. They continued until one man either acknowledged defeat by holding up a finger or was unable to continue. Holding was strictly forbidden. Contests were held outdoors, which added the challenge of intense heat and bright sunlight to the fight. Fighters represented all social classes; in the early years of the major athletic festivals, a preponderance of the boxers came from wealthy and distinguished backgrounds. 

Boxing is now a sport that anyone can participate in and me, I started off in Pal Boxing right here in San Jose. Thanks to the help of coach Candy, he made me a better fighter. Not just me but even younger kids like Victor. 

Coach Candy: Coaching is teaching new people the sport of boxing, the glove of physical discipline, physical activity, and making them good people.

According to coach Candy, he loves coaching kids, but there is one thing he hates about boxing and that is the most obvious. 

Coach Candy: Watching people get hurt

Coach candy doesn’t believe in violence, and just like any other boxing coach, he does it to build characters in kids, not to turn them violent and hurt each other. There are kids who get into boxing because they want to try something new. Others, like coach Candy, get into boxing because they feel the need to learn how to defend themselves.

As a kid, Coach Candy was always getting into some sort of trouble and getting into fights. This caused him to go to his first gym to become a better version of himself. 

Coach Candy: When I was a youngster, probably about your age 14-15, I was getting in trouble a lot in the streets and boxing turned my life around and I was able to direct all my energy into a positive self, became an athlete and continued my education and life is very good.

Just how coach Candy wished he had someone to mentor him, he tries to be that person for other kids now. Showing tough love to every, he makes sure he builds characters, making kids tougher and better than they were before they entered the gym. Kids like I was. 

I used to be someone full of anger, and hatred, That was until I started boxing in December. I was new to the gym, but never knew to boxing. Boxing has always been my passion ever since a kid. I was always a smaller kid compared to everyone else so It felt like a lot of pressure since I would get bullied. When I turned 12, I hoped to join this exact same gym since that was the age you had to be. I never could because money was always tight. Until I started working. 

I missed tryouts but thanks to my desire for boxing, I had the skills to prove I wasn’t a beginner, however I was actually better than most kids who have been there for months even years. I wanted to become as best as I could so I signed up for sparring every chance I got. In the beginner class I sparred seven times. That was until I got moved up to amatuer class with only a month of being there. That’s where things got serious

Thanks to coach Candy, he gave me the confidence I needed because he believed in me. I had heart, but I wasn’t the only one. 

Victor is a 13 year old boy who has been boxing for around a year now. He says he got into boxing because of the constant bullying he was receiving from his peers. Now he feels like words can’t hurt him, because although he thinks he's out of shape, he knows he has heart and confidence now as a boxer. Boxing isn’t just about fighting to him, he learned things in the gym that does not require his fist. 

Victor: I learned to persevere myself.

Victor is on his way to becoming a high schooler. Not sure how he should feel, he at least knows he will be able to protect himself since he is smaller compared to other kids his age.  He says he sees himself boxing in the future. Now all that is left for him is to have the same discipline he had the day he first started his journey. Just like me, remaining discipline is the only thing to worry about now.