Will more sparring help this?

[Dougall]

So I had a fight on Friday past there. Long story short I lost. I got in the ring and when I saw the guy I was fighting I kind of froze, he was bigger and looked very muscular. I know this doesn't always mean they'll be a tough opponent but it still shook me a bit.
His power wasnt very impressive even when he caught me flush, but when he threw wild punches I over reacted with defense and froze too much to counter.
My fitness should have been better than his but again, when in the ring my breathing went I count find a rhythm and I was breathing heavy.
I was thinking sparring more often against different people would help solve this. I currently only spar once a week and it's always the same 5 guys in the club. I never struggle with fitness against them but I feel it's because Ive got comfortable with them and know their style etc. Do you think more sparring will help with nerves in the ring and is there any other drill you can do for breathing or keeping your cool under pressure for counters.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

Did you get finished?
Is this kickboxing or Muay Thai?

 

[Dougall]

Did you get finished?
Is this kickboxing or Muay Thai?

Didn't get finished, was still able to move and didnt do a bad job moving away from him. But was incredibly inactive with any sort of offense or counters.
Boxing

 

[shincheckin]

So I had a fight on Friday past there. Long story short I lost. I got in the ring and when I saw the guy I was fighting I kind of froze, he was bigger and looked very muscular. I know this doesn't always mean they'll be a tough opponent but it still shook me a bit.
His power wasnt very impressive even when he caught me flush, but when he threw wild punches I over reacted with defense and froze too much to counter.
My fitness should have been better than his but again, when in the ring my breathing went I count find a rhythm and I was breathing heavy.
I was thinking sparring more often against different people would help solve this. I currently only spar once a week and it's always the same 5 guys in the club. I never struggle with fitness against them but I feel it's because Ive got comfortable with them and know their style etc. Do you think more sparring will help with nerves in the ring and is there any other drill you can do for breathing or keeping your cool under pressure for counters.

its called your first fight.........congrat!

sparring will help........but how you felt is/was common. It will lessen the more you fight, but never be gone completely.......so to answer your question, the answer is to fight more...... I didnt start feeling comfortable until my like 5th fight or so.

You fitness was probably fine, as you pointed out it was your breathing. You most likely held your breathe....another very common thing, work on it, and it will improve the more relaxed and comfortable you become with each fight.

 

[j123]

You worried to much about what he could do rather than what you should've done. Sparring will help this.

For me making a mental checklist helped this big time. Do short rounds and aim to get everything on the list at the minimum. If you don't, consider you messed up. My case I would have my list as:

5 combinations (inc kicks, not just hands)
2 clinch initiations
1 headkick
3 body kicks (can overlap with point 1)
3 retaliation combos

Within 2min rounds. It doesn't look like much, but when your partner is trying to impose their game as well, it gets tough to mark them all off.

It made me keep busy and it got rid of my problem for the most part.

The other way is more drilling where you're on offense and your partner is on defense. It will end up feeling like sparring if done right.

This worked for me, it might work for you or not, a teammate I told this too, it didn't help him.

 

[MaxMMA]

I wouldn't be to concerned with it. Its your first fight. A couple more and you're going to be cool as a cucumber.

I think time will also erase the "physique psyhce." A persons physique truely has no impact on fight preformance, nor does it even mean that person is in fighting shape.

 

[Ilk]

I wouldn't be to concerned with it. Its your first fight. A couple more and you're going to be cool as a cucumber.

I think time will also erase the "physique psyhce." A persons physique truely has no impact on fight preformance, nor does it even mean that person is in fighting shape.

Reminds me of a spar with a friend. He is more than 10 kg larger than me and about 15 sm taller and brags often how he has been kickboxing and has fought in the street a boxer and has beaten him. The dude is large and big.

So we start sparring and I give him the benefit of the doubt by being protective for 30 seconds. He comes and launches some wild punches who are neither strong nor hard to see and gasses out and gives up in minute and a half from round 1. With me landing 1 jab and one counter cross. Funny times.

 

[Woldog]

As time goes on you get used to sparring anyone and you won't freeze of flinch. I'm not big 68kg 5'9 tall and the majority of my gym are light heavy or higher, so at first I'm sparring 102kg samoans and I was terrified. As time goes on you get used to it and you learn a lot faster.

 

[Sinister]

It's just inexperience. If you loved it the same way alcoholics love being trashed, vomiting, and waking up places with no recollection of how they got there...then keep going and it'll be sorted out granted you have good instruction.