Carlo Cajaljal – January 2024

Carlo is not the person who comes to a month of classes non stop and eases out of it. In fact, Carlo is the opposite as he first  began coming to 2 classes a day and now sometimes does 4 or 5 a day. In the 5 months he has been with us he has taken close to 150 classes. Check out our Q&A with him below.

Q: Can you start by telling us what a day in the life of Carlo looks like?

A: Boxing, work, errands, more boxing. I do my best to stay consistent and squeeze in as much boxing into my schedule as possible. Sparring is a non negotiable for me. It is my goal to attend at least once a week.

Q: Now, how long have you been boxing and what got you started in this sport?

A: I’ve been boxing for 5 months now, I started because I wanted to learn self-defense and to wake up the warrior within.

Q: I know your fiancé also comes to classes, what is your experience with boxing as a team building sport?

A: me and my fiancé love boxing. We feel that there’s a genuine camaraderie at the gym whenever we attend classes together.

Q: You are our most frequent attendee at our classes, so how do you stay consistent and motivated with your practice?

A: I do my best to hold myself accountable. I create an image of the kind of person I want to be, and show up as that person everyday. It also helps that everyone around me pushes each other to their limits every class. The challenging environment help shape the person I want to become.

Q: What is your favourite thing about the community/teaching environment at Contenders?

A: I love that everyone is so eager to help and motivate each other. I see a lot of veterans in the sport going out of their way to teach newcomers and beginners. The coaches are all very supportive as well. The camaraderie is genuinely felt at the gym.

Q: Do you have any hopes in the sport for your year ahead? Should we expect to see a fight from you?

A: I have high hopes in the year ahead. I am working towards becoming a more intelligent boxer. As for fights, I would never say no to one. I hope to get my first fight this year.

Q: What advice would you give to someone just beginning their boxing journey?

A: Be patient and intentional with your journey and enjoy the process.

Q: …And lastly, tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

A: Donuts are my kryptonite.