When in Rome...

So, my plan on coming here was to just train and do a bit of holiday. I had no intention of fighting, giving that my current ring experience is just a handful of interclubs- 3x2 minute bouts with controlled power, shin pads and chest pads, and no winner. Over here, they don't bother with the tiered system we have back home- all fights are full thai rules, meaning 5x3 minutes, all muay thai techniques permitted including elbows. No pads at all are worn, so it's shin on shin contact.
After my first private session with Tun last week, he asked me if I wanted to fight, saying "you train strong, good power, good technique." I was pleased with the compliment but said I was unsure about fighting. However, after mulling it over for a few days and training alongside other guys who were taking fights- some of them their first ever fight too- I thought to myself, "screw it, why not." I may never get another chance to do this, as much as I am determined to come back to this amazing country again. You just never know what will happen in life, and I know I will regret not taking this opportunity should another one fail to arise. I have been training hard- not just here, but at home for the past couple years too- for this and I feel confident that I can do it. Either way, we will soon find out.
So I will now be fighting on Friday 29th November at Bangla stadium here in Phuket, along with another guy from Sinbi, a Russian lad named Arslan. This meant that the past week has been dedicated to nothing but training, each day following the same routine- wake around 6 am to go running, morning training at 7.30, than eat and sleep. Wake again around 2.30 for afternoon training, eat and sleep. Repeat. The trainers are pushing me hard too- every session includes about 20 minutes of clinching and ends with 200 knees and 200 teeps (push kicks) on the heavy bag. It's hard and it is taking a toll- my right knee swelled up a lot the other day and I have cuts on my feet and knuckles, but I am enjoying it. It isn't easy to turn down the offers of nights out in Patong, but I know I will savour the partying and fun times more when I have done this fight. I will have about 9 days afterwards to enjoy myself, so for now I am dedicating myself to the training. After all, I will be spending up to 15 minutes in a ring with someone trying to take my head off- it is only right to myself, the trainers and the gym that I put in everything I have. Trainer/fighter Nai made the point clear after I agreed to the fight, saying "you want fight, you no drink, no smoke, no boom boom, yes?!" He is a funny guy and a really cool dude, as well as a talented fighter, and I hope he will be there in my corner for the fight.
The weather here has been a bit shitty all week- gray and raining every day, though still warm. This has removed any temptation to hit the beach between sessions, which is probably a good thing as it's best to get some sleep when training this hard twice a day. I just hope it picks up again before I go- I want some beach time after my fight!
I won't lie and act the tough man- I am nervous. It is a fight, you can get hurt. But you have to go in with confidence, and I don't feel scared. I have worked hard for this and I know I won't give up. Is it gonna hurt? Yeah, most likely. Will it be an experience of a lifetime? Almost certainly. Will I regret it? No way! I don't overly care about winning or losing, I'm not doing this sport to build a record or make myself look tough. I'm here to challenge myself and see what I am truly made of, in a way that only fighting can show you. Besides, they say you learn more from a loss than a win, and that it may be better to lose your first fight than win it. Either way, I know I will come out of it a stronger, tougher and more confident person. If I have the balls and the self-confidence to do one of toughest, most gruelling sports in the world in the place where it was born, I can do anything I put my mind to. Coming here has already made me realise something important- yes, I can be the guy who goes out and does something incredible, life changing experiences are not just for other people. This will be the icing on the cake. I have long been plagued by the subconscious belief that doing things out of the ordinary was the preserve of others, that I wasn't confident enough, strong enough, good enough to do something amazing. I have already begun to prove myself wrong in this regard, and this is just the beginning.
Besides, as the say, when in Rome...