HOW DO BOXERS TRAIN FOR FIGHTS

In Conversation with Daley "The Daley Effect" Perales

When training for a fight, boxers will undergo weeks of physical and mental preparation. I sat down with Pro coach Daley Perales to discuss how he prepares his fighters for competition. 

MF: So how do boxers train for fights?

DP: The first thing to understand is that every fighter is different and understanding their personality is gonna be key to getting them ready, while managing them and what they’re capable of.

The physical regime includes running (sprints and jogging), swimming, strength and conditioning, pad work, bag work and sparring, with up to 3hrs of training on a given day and up to 6 days of training per week. 

MF: How important is road running?

DP: Some fighters don’t like running and that’s fine - you don’t have to be running on the road everyday. I get that some want to be saving their knees and ankles. But just because they don’t like it doesn’t mean we don’t do it. Sprints however are a very necessary part of preparation. Whether it’s hill sprints, long distance road runs or a steady-paced 5km, the point is - there’s gonna be running!

MF: Is there any alternative to sprints?

DP: Of course! There’s the assault bike or the versa-climber, which not just gets your heart & lungs fit, it also replicates use of the arms, as if you were punching. But sparring is also another way to improve your performance.

It is often debated and questioned how long a training camp should be. A lot prefer shorter camps to avoid stagnation or overtraining, whereas others will feel more confident following a longer training camp. 

MF: How long do you want your fighters in camp?

DP: I like 10-weeks. We can ease into it. My fighters need to be ticking over when we’re not in-camp anyway, so apart from being on holiday, my fighters should be working on their craft.

MF: What’s the most important shot in boxing?

DP: The Jab. It sets everything up. But, when there’s an opening - you gotta be ruthless. The jab sets the tone. The lead hand can slow aggressive fighters down. Different tempos make the jab hard to predict and if you have spiteful jab, your opponent will be wary of your other shots. The jab can break people down physically and mentally. You can use it in an offensive way or defensive way. You can use it to control, for manipulation, for range. There are so many different ways. 

MF: Do you have any favourite exercises?

DP: Yeah, what I call the ‘speed and rhythm’ drill on the bag. You throw fast, straight punches for 20secs and then have an active recovery of throwing more rhythmical combinations for 20secs… and keep repeating. 

MF: haha, I’m only laughing ‘cos I’ve done that with you before. It burns the shoulders!

DP: Yeah, we do at least 4-6 rounds of that to train shoulder endurance, meaning my fighters can keep their hands up through out the fight without dropping their hands due to fatigue. You don’t have to have your hands up the whole time, but you got to know when you can drop your hands! This drill conditions your mind and body to keep your hands up. 

MF: What’s your favourite combo?

DP: 2-3-2 (Right hand - left hook - right hand) …I like fighting in the mid-range. You’re in range the whole time and ready to throw or defend. Everything is possible.

MF: How often do your fighters spar?

DP: Training camps obviously have to progress and taper at the end. If we’re deep in camp I think twice week. Either someone comes to see us or we visit other gyms. Hard sparring is very necessary to prepare you and if we visit another gym, we can’t hide - it’s gonna be hard sparring and we need to manage the adrenaline. But we also do technical sparring regularly, where we focus on learning methods, for example using the ropes. No sparring in the final week. 

MF: No sparring at all in the final week?

DP: None. And no cardio 3 days before the fight - you aren’t gonna get any fitter. If my fighters feel restless in those last three days, I tell them to go for a walk, do some light shadow or skipping. The last week before fight equally, we won’t do anything much more than light, snappy pad work and short bursts of cardio.

Rest and recovery are a core component of the physical regime and may include ‘active recovery’ (e.g. a walk, gentle shadow boxing or skipping), sports massage, ice baths and saunas. It’s vital that there’s at least a day of rest per week to allow the body to make those adaptations to the training demands. 

MF: Is there anything else you bring into the regime for preparing fighters?

DP: Yeah, some days I just judge how my fighter is feeling. I know my fighters and some days I can see in their eyes that we’re just gonna talk. Knowing my fighters is so important.

MF: You’re touching on the mental side of preparation. How important is that?

DP: For me the physical side is easy. The mental preparation is key. 9-times-out-of-10 my fighters have been through tough times and having seen through tough times myself, I know how to manage these guys mentally. I show my fighters that I care and I am there for them. When I have their trust, they listen and I put a lot of emphasis on this. 

Mental preparation can include visualisation, strategy (understanding your opponent and their patterns) and gameplay, talking, breath work and meditation. 

Daley Perales is a former professional boxer, known as “The Daley Effect” and globally recognised for his professional coaching credentials. He now trains and manages his own stable of professional fighters. He also counts some of the world’s biggest influencers as part of that stable. Daley lives and breathes his craft, but is also a family man, with a son who is breaking into the Amateur rankings. Amazingly he still makes himself available for 1-to-1 personal sessions. Go get some tips!