I was 7 years old when I first started boxing and this is how it all began.
I was walking with my friend it was 3:30 we had finished school and we were on our bikes heading home until we stopped at the sweet shop just around the corner of my boxing club. We spent 10 minutes deciding what sweets we were going to get. I told him I only have £6.50 and im not wasting it all. My Mate, being the fat shit he was couldn't care less and was going to buy the whole shop! After we came out I realised that my bike had been stolen. I was pissed off my mom just brought me it and now she's going to be annoyed when I arrived back home. From the corner of my eye I saw a police man going into the boxing club. I told my friend lets go and report about my bike. He said Ok but make it quick I gotta go.
We both went upstairs to the boxing club called "Black Widow Martial Arts Academy". As we went up we saw dozens of kids punching bags and kicking thai pads. We were both shocked in amazement and then I saw the officer picking up his son. I called out to him "Hey mister." He laughed "What can I do for you? Are you lost?" I replied nervously "No but someone stole my bike". He said "I'm sorry but I can't do nothing about it".
I wedded back home and knocked on the door waiting for my mom to open it and give me a lecture. she said "Amaan were have you been its quarter past 5 I was worried sick!" I thought to myself no point lying just tell her the truth. So I did and she was glad that I never got hurt she asked if I wanted a new bike but I said no but I wanna start boxing at Black widow. She laughed and said ok I'll take u tomorrow.
After school I came back home and my mom took me to the black widow. Taking the steps up I began to feel very nervous. I pushed the door open and went to the counter. My mom was discussing with the two instructors Roy and Niqqash. After she finished talking they took me to the ring for and 1on1 session. They taught me my guard and made me do a warm up exercise followed by doing splits. I was exahausted but I still carried on. Then they taught me Jab, Cross and Front Kick. I mastered the moves perfectly and they were amazed at my talent. They smiled at me and said "We have a future champion here" I began to smile in confidence but I never believed I would actually be a champion.
I went back home and asked my mom what days I had to go there. She said "Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 4 o'clock you can walk to your grandmas and then go from there". I said ok and went to sleep waiting for the next day to come.
It was morning and I had my breakfast and went to school. I saw my best friends there: Kamran, Saeed, Suffyaan, Monazzam and the others. We were shouting in the playground waiting for the teachers to call us in. 5 minutues later the teachers shouted "CHILDREN GET INSIDE!!!!" We all went in and i told my friends "I'm going boxing after school." They were all amazed. Monazzam replied "Boxing?! At this age! You wanna get hurt you muppet!!" I laughed and said " I don't care its part of training." After school I went to my grandmas house like my mother said and from there went to boxing. Roy smiled and said "Welcome and heres your boxing uniform put it on and come out"
I came out with my uniform on. The first thing we did was our warm up which included: 20 press ups, 20 sit-ups, 20 leg raises 20 diamond press ups and etc. After that we did our split exercise. Then Roy and Niqqash taught us round house kicks and hooks. Doing it on the pads was easy for me I did it with ace. When it came to sparring I made my oppenents cry! After training I went home full of exhaustion.
The year went by, at the age of 8 I had won 3 platinum titles and I could call myself a champion. I would go into the ring full of confidence and knowing to myself I would knock the guy out round one. That's what would happen. I had feelings I might lose to a person who's 14 and I was only 8 but I kept my confidence and beat him.
At the age of 9 my deapest nightmares unfold and till this day I wish I could go back and change the course of history. Me and my mother were walking to the shops she stopped by some nice pair of clothes for herself. I was hungry and in desperate for food. She chuckled and gave me a pound to go get a packet of crisps. I went into the shop and came out. My eyes were pulled to the ambulance and police outside the same shop my mother was previously in. I sprinted across the road and saw my mother dead on the floor bleeding from gun wounds. I was crying my life out I was furious and sad both at the same time. I pushed the officers out the way the grabbed me I screamed "LET GO OF ME U MOTHER FUCKERS THATS MY MOM!!!!!!!!" They threw me onto the floor I got so angry I punched a glass window and broke it. My right arm was full of the devils blood. I couldn't care less about my arm it was my mom who got took to hosptial that day my life changed.
For a month I was dead silent I went into school crying everyday over the same thing I couldn't get over it. My mates tried cheering me up but they would never succeed. My teacher called me outside and asked whats wrong. I told her and even she began to cry. My friends always stayed right next to me we were always in a little gang walking home togther.I told Roy and Niqqash what happened and they both treated me like their own son. I wouldn't be nothing without them there like my second family. I remember the exact words that Roy said to me "the harder you cry the stronger you get" It was pretty daft but it actually helpt me move on.
Over the years I had won more trophys and belts but had nobody to celebrate it. I miss my mother but over the years I learnt that the people you love the most never go they will always remain with you in your heart.
From that day on I grew confident again and now i'm 13 got kicked out of school. On the bright side I am a black belt in Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts and it wouldn't have happened without my mom I love you mom :) <3
