28/09/2026
One round. But the fight wasn’t only won last night. It was won in the sessions nobody saw, on the days the body didn’t agree with the plan.
I went into the fight with a 3.5 cm tear in my left calf. The doctor, physio therapist and my team advised me not to continue with the fight. I was limping, on crutches, elevating my leg at random times to reduce the swelling. I know they just want me to be safe. The concern was that I wouldn’t be able to move the way I need to and I can get seriously hurt, especially against an opponent who is motivated to get a win over ‘The Chosen Wan’. I know that this is going to be difficult but, that only motivated me more. When I gave my final decision (actually I never once thought of pulling out) that I will continue with the fight, my team focused on how to win.
Those who knew about the injury asked “How are you going to fight with one leg?”. I said “Buy a ticket and watch. I’ll show you”.
We adapted. No dancing, no dazzling footwork, no angles. Just calculated steps. One step off the line, one punch, and it was done.
That KO wasn’t luck. It was a simple jab, jab, cross. Nobody saw me tripping over my own feet trying it in sparring and that was when both my feet were still working fine. It all looked clean on fight night because it looked terrible in the gym first. A plan is a starting point. It is not a promise. Fight the fight you have, not the one you expected. Make mistakes or be clumsy in the gym. That’s what it’s for.
To everyone at Foochow Building, I heard you. You don’t know what a room does for a fighter until you walk out into one. To every boxer on that card, pros and corporates, respect. To Leyendas and Brothers Boxing Promotions , thank you for a night worth coming back for.
No fighter walks in alone. He carries everyone who got him there. The ones who rebuilt my engine. The ones who taught me to see the fight before it happened, because the smartest punch is the one you’ve already thrown in your head, many times. The ones who believed in me. The ones who sparred me and made me earn every inch. The ones who got me ice, heat patches and cold sprays.
