stamina in general is one of the most important things in the sport but what about mental stamina? I usually fade when i get tired but im always working on conditioning so it doesnt get to the point where i have to push mentally when it comes to me gassing. In sparring i just know i dont have to really push because no one has to win in regards to my mental stamina if i ever do get tired but im sure i'd push it in a real amateur bout. So how important is mental stamina?
Focus is one of the most important skills in boxing. Sparring is actually the time to work on it--nobody has to win so it can be more challenging to focus. Do it anyway. I say focus, but mental stamina is what enables focus. So yeah, mental stamina is important.
You have to train your mind at least as much as you train your body because boxing is a mental exercise. You have to keep your brain involved. You don't just hit the heavy bag, for example, thoughtlessly throwing punches for 3 minutes, because you'll fight that way. You make it 'miss', move in land your punches and get out. There always has to be the element of "what is he trying to do to me and what am I going to do about it." in your training. That is why you'll sometimes see guys get worn down just by being pressed, the constant move and counter move wears them down mentally and that drains them physically.
Ask Zab Judah, Victor Ortiz, Andrew Golota, Oliver McCall, just to name a few. They've all suffered mental moments in the ring.
Very important,i used to burn myself up b4 i got into the ring,so i tried breathing exercises which helped a lot.
