The Fight Almanac – Manifesto

2026

Origin

“I AM THE GREATEST,” said Muhammad Ali before every fight, in every press conference, and in every interview.

Stumbling randomly on a YouTube video titled Ali vs Terrell, I clicked on it without thinking much of it. I never imagined that fight would help me find my passion at 12 years of age. I got obsessed with Ali—his confidence, his charisma, and his heart. I researched everything about him: what he did, who he fought, and the most important question—why did he fight?

I was star struck, but the sport of boxing started to resonate with me. For two straight years I kept daydreaming about boxing, fighting in a random city in Mexico in the blistering heat, throwing punches to survive, getting my hand raised in the end and being called El Guerrero—The Warrior. FYI, I gave myself this nickname. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had finally found passion, and at the age of 16 I found the courage to walk into a boxing gym and sign up.

This was my origin story—my path to finding my passion, my calling, my dream. Over the years I got pulled deeper into fighting, trying to find myself, trying to fulfil that dream. Along the way I had a lot of ups and downs. The sport is unforgiving, but for some reason getting punched in the face didn’t scare me. The risk of brain damage didn’t stop me from sparring round after round. What scared me was being my old self without boxing. I was chasing my dream. I woke up every day thinking: how can I improve myself?

The Cost of the Dream

The chase came to a hard and emotional end. Years of sparring and reckless rounds of punches had taken their toll on me. My nose was compromised. The doctors told me to quit if I wanted to breathe normally for the rest of my life. I couldn’t breathe out of my nose for two years. I had to rely on nasal sprays and medication. Restless nights were becoming more apparent. My body started to give up.

So I decided to give up what I loved the most. I cried for two days. I couldn’t handle it. Almost a decade of boxing experience, acquired through sweat and blood—a lot of blood—felt like it was for nothing. But then I realized boxing didn’t just give me the ability to fight; it gave me a tool with which I could help other people—e.g., young kids starting out, adults trying to learn boxing for self-defence, and those who made boxing their passion.

Boxing can be applied to life; every fight represents a chapter in one’s story. It gave me confidence. It gave me self-belief. It gave me a sense of belonging, a family, a brotherhood. The people I met through boxing are my closest and dearest friends. Although I didn’t reach my dream of fighting in Mexico or becoming a world champion, I found a new mission.

The New Mission

My new mission is to educate anyone interested in boxing—as a fighter, a coach, or a fan of the sport. I realized grassroots boxing is under-represented and under-educated. The Fight Almanac is a guide for anyone interested in learning about the sport’s history, psychology, and analytical breakdowns of fights—not just violence, but the psychology behind every punch and its reason.

Boxing is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. The physical aspect is taught in the gym; the mental battle is left for the fighter to fight alone.

The Fight Almanac is the product of my love and passion for the sport. Everything involving boxing will be written and researched for consumption and education purposes. Read with thoughtfulness and an open mind. Question everything for the betterment of yourself. Boxing was not just a sport, but a way out of chaos. It was my door into understanding the world. I hope I can improve the lives of others through boxing and put anyone on a journey for self-improvement.