Boxing is a sport built not just on physical power, but on persistent mental effort, daily discipline, and clear intention. We explore the concept of “commitment” in boxing, going beyond the nebulous long-term commitment of “doing my runs” and “sleeping well” and looking at practical insights that can make a huge difference in the gym.
Understanding Commitment: More Than Just Showing Up
When people think about commitment in boxing, the obvious answers come up: hard training, clean eating, staying away from distractions, and consistently turning up to the gym.
When we talk commitment in boxing, we often think about, I’ve got to do my runs, I’ve got to make sure I’m eating well and I’m managing my weight effectively, I go to bed at obvious hours, I don’t go out on the booze and do all that kind of silly stuff in my body. So these are all correct. Okay, so they’re long-term commitments.
These long-term commitments undeniably matter. But to make them stick, boxers need to focus on “micro commitments”—the tiny, moment-to-moment decisions made in the gym, during a round, or even within a single task.
Breaking Commitment Down
A micro commitment is simply focusing on a small, specific action within training. Rather than concentrating on the overall goal, like being a national champion, get boxers focusing on what they’re doing this round, or the next 30 seconds.
For example, if you’re working on range control, don’t just tell a boxer, “control the range.” It’s too vague. What does controlling the range look like? Get into the specifics with your boxers. Micro commitments, when understood and clearly set, become building blocks for the big goals. That’s how daily gym work translates to the “long-term commitment” needed for boxing success.
Specificity is Everything
Both boxers and coaches can fall into the trap of thinking, “just work harder,” without focusing on improving any specific skill or attribute. Instead, coaches should help boxers get clear about what they’re committing to at any given moment. We need clarity and intention, coming back to the example of range control:
If we say to a boxer, we need to commit to range control, or what is range control? What does it look like? What is the clarity of what we’re trying to achieve?”
Ask questions like:
- Where was your front foot when you threw that jab?
- How far was your foot from your opponent’s?
- Were you able to land that jab, or did it keep falling short?
These detailed prompts create tangible benchmarks. Without specific clarity, both boxer and coach risk spinning their wheels without real progress.
Building a Framework: GAP—Great, Average, Poor
Boxers, especially young and developing athletes, thrive with clear frameworks. We use a structure inspired by coach Mark Bennett’s UAE model (Unacceptable, Acceptable, Exceptional), where we’ve adjusted the language to be more accessible: “GAP: Great, Average, Poor.”
If the boxers understand what great looks like, average looks like, and what poor looks like, then they have that structure to commit towards. I feel that boxers don’t commit to something when they don’t know where to hang their hat, when they don’t know how to push themselves beyond those limits. But they also don’t know when they’re being poor as well. So it just gives that little framework to work within.”
When boxers know exactly what “great”, “average”, and “poor” performance looks or feels like, they can honestly self-assess and strive to close the gap. It also gives coaches concrete markers for feedback and progress.
Why Frameworks and Micro Commitments Matter
Why bother with all these layers? Because time is every boxer and coach’s most precious resource. If a session really pushes boxers to commit with intention and clarity, can we achieve more in one focused hour than in two unfocused ones, where the goals are ambiguous?
How much improvement do we get when boxers train with real intention, rather than just getting the reps in? So, how do we solve problems over and over again in different ways, as much as possible, with intention?
This is where an understanding of micro commitments helps. By checking those micro commitments, checking for understanding, checking that boxers are applying it, and then creating that little bit of space so you can see that they can do it, unsupported by you, there is more immediate intention and commitment.
And a key part here is “unsupported by you.” Ultimately, the goal is to help athletes become independent learners who can drive their own progress, freeing coaches to spend more time adding value, rather than putting out fires.
The Role of Observation and Independence
After giving clear instructions, step back and watch from afar. This tests whether a boxer truly understands and commits to the idea, without just performing for your approval.
If you walk away, pretend that you’ve gone off to look at something or someone else, and see whether they are committing. Are they following what was decided, uncoerced, unsupported, unmotivated by having a coach watching, or has that gone completely out the window?
This reveals whether boxers are internalising the lesson, or just pleasing the coach when watched. A committed boxer repeats the action properly, even when no one is looking. A confused or unmotivated boxer returns to their attractors, to what they are comfortable with.
Key Takeaways for Boxers and Coaches
For Coaches:
- Be specific in what you’re asking of your boxers—define what “success” looks like in every session.
- Use frameworks like GAP (Great, Average, Poor) so boxers know exactly how to rate their own performance.
- Check for true understanding by occasionally observing from afar.
- Encourage independent learning, develop boxers who can self-correct and self-motivate.
For Boxers:
- Don’t just aim to “work hard,” know exactly what skill or tactic you’re focusing on each round.
- Ask questions when instructions aren’t clear; vague goals don’t get results.
- Measure yourself honestly against defined standards of Great, Average, and Poor.
- Understand that commitment is about hundreds of mini-decisions; get those right first.