MAN Magazine Winter 2019

SPORT
it’s professional kickboxing so the heavy
fighters that just want to prove a point
have been filtered out when you get to
this stage, “and mindset can make
all the difference, I just get into
the ring with a calm and neutral
frame of mind. I’m not interested
in psyching my opponent – maybe
he’s better than me but having an offday.
Maybe I’m having a really good day.
What matters is that I stay calm and focus
on enjoying a fair, clean fight. It’s the
best way to apply my training”. Some
fighters just get up again and again “and
you can just tell from the absent look in
their eyes that something’s blocking the
pain – it’s not natural”. Doping tests
are far too infrequent, “I’ve been
tested three times in my entire career.
I’m not interested in any of that, but we
need more testing. Keep it clean and fair
or fighters don’t feel their own limits and
just get injured too badly. I rely on training
to be my best”. Three rounds, each
lasting three minutes, doesn’t
sound like a lot to be preparing
for, “it’s seriously full on. And you’d be
surprised but it’s not the muscle mass that
makes the difference. Overall physical
conditioning is what gets you through the
second round and beyond the third. I see
it again and again – bulked up fighters
hit a wall – suddenly out of energy. The
breathing starts picking
up and they start to
panic. You need three
times the oxygen
to fuel muscle and
if you’ve not kept up
on your cardio your
breathing will get tight,
you won’t be able to
think straight. Then your
opponent gets the upper
hand”. Strength training
is important though, “I
do weights four times a
week – you need a good
balance of everything”.
Mobility too, “so you can
develop a fast reaction
speed to avoid blows.
Swimming and running, cardio,
functional sport – it all counts.
It’s all I do in my spare time. I run 6km a
day and the last couple of miles are Hit
training to challenge myself”. When it
comes to the kickboxing training “I do
42
MAN
that for two hours, four times a week and
my trainer is phenomenal. He inspires us
to do more – has this strong presence,
confidence and knowledge of the sport.
He makes you want to be your best.”
There’s a team feeling in my club (Asian
Falcons), “we’re more of a family really.
At every match we go up to the ring
together and cheer each other on. You
feel the buzz, a motivation and it’s like
there is a solid wall of support behind
you, they’ve got my back and you want
to fight your best for them too, - ” Just
a sec, “more messages wishing me luck
for the op on my arm – like brothers”. It’s
not all about the training, “you have
to look after yourself between
fights, steer away from the scene that
wants to get you involved in fights outside
the ring, you know, take Angelo along
and he’ll do some damage, that kind of
thing, not for me. Keep it fair, clean and
in the ring”. And paying attention to
what fuel goes in the tank, “which is just
sensible so you don’t have to trim down
or gain too much pre-match”. A lean
middleweight, weighing in at 76.5 kilos at
185cm, “I count calories, and look
at a weekly balance, that way I
can eat everything – if I’m trimming
down a bit, I’ll be on 1800 calories a
day and if I want to gain, I’ll be on 2800
daily. I might eat 1300 today if I know I’m
eating birthday
cake tomorrow”
to keep a
good balance,
“but I’m not
substituting
meals for protein shakes or cutting
carbs, it just makes me tired and
hungry. It’s torture and in the end,
you just lose water, so as soon as
you start eating again you gain every
pound back as quickly as you lost
it.” Some athletes swear by a plate
of pre-match pasta, “but I like to
stick to something protein-rich and
light the night before I compete.
Muesli for breakfast. Carbs just make
you sluggish during the match,”
despite the Sicilian parents
and heritage, “pasta is postmatch!”
Dad is a black belt karate
champion so it’s more than just the
love of pasta in the genes. Most of
the family are back in Sicily, “it’s
unusual to be an Italian kickboxer in
Germany,” though the real place to be
for kickboxing is Holland, “they turn
out the best kickboxers – the scene is
immense with 3-4000 tickets sold-out
in no time. The rest of Europe and the
U.K. are catching on”.
Follow Angelo on Instagram
@Zoppo.Angelo
Author: A E Lee
MIND-SET CAN
MAKE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE
MAGAZINE WINTER 2019
sevenstarmedia.co.uk