Being described as an Older Fighter
There is a strange feeling that comes with being an experienced fighter in the latter part of your career.
The motivation is still there. I still enjoy training, testing myself and stepping into the ring. Fighting remains something I genuinely want to do—and I have no intention of ever announcing a formal retirement. If I feel like fighting when I’m 90, perhaps I will.
I don’t want to draw a line under something that has played such a major part in my life simply because other people think I have reached an age when I should think about stopping.I think every fighter stops to take stock in their post fight contemplation.
But I would be lying if I said age changes nothing.
The Fight Outside the Ring
When you are younger, it is often easier to make fighting the centre of your world. You can organise almost everything around training, recovery and competition.
As you get older, life becomes more complicated.
You have a family, a business, financial responsibilities and people who depend on you. There are more problems to solve and more things demanding your attention. Even when your body is physically present in the gym, your mind can still be dealing with everything happening outside it.
That makes it more difficult to bring your complete focus back to the ring.
It isn’t necessarily a lack of motivation or discipline. Sometimes it is simply the reality of having built a life with responsibilities beyond fighting.
When You Start Questioning Yourself
My last few boxing matches haven’t gone as well as I would have liked. Naturally, that makes you question yourself.
Am I still capable of performing at the level I expect from myself?
Am I continuing because I still have something to prove?
Am I being honest about my performances?
Or am I in danger of carrying on for too long?
I believe these are healthy questions for any experienced fighter to ask. Combat sports are unforgiving, and there is a fine line between resilience and refusing to recognise reality.
At the same time, one disappointing performance—or even several—doesn’t automatically mean the journey is over. You have to judge more than the result. You have to consider how you feel, how you are developing and whether the process still means something to you.
For me, the most important question is simple:
Am I still enjoying it?
While the answer remains yes, I still have a reason to continue.
Age Isn’t Always the Biggest Disadvantage
The fact that many of my opponents are younger doesn’t particularly concern me.
They may have youth, speed and fewer miles on the clock, but I have decades of experience. I have been a professional fighter since 2006 and have competed across Muay Thai, MMA, boxing and grappling.
That experience allows me to recognise patterns, stay composed and think through situations that a younger fighter may not have encountered before. Fighting is physical, but it is also tactical. Experience teaches you how to manage pressure, read an opponent and make adjustments during a fight.
I may not always be able to match a younger opponent attribute for attribute, but I can often outthink them.
The Challenge of Boxing
Boxing presents a slightly different challenge for me.
I came to it after spending many years competing in Muay Thai and MMA. Although there is some crossover, boxing has its own rhythm, movement, defensive habits and tactical demands.
I am now facing opponents who may have spent their entire lives concentrating exclusively on boxing. I am adapting instincts developed through other combat sports while trying to close the gap against specialists.
That is difficult—but it is also part of what keeps boxing interesting.
I still believe I improve every time I fight. Every match exposes something new. Sometimes that lesson comes through success, and sometimes it comes through disappointment.
Either way, I come away knowing more than I did before.
Enjoy It While You Can
No fighter knows which contest will be their last.
An injury, a change in circumstances or simply the absence of another opportunity can bring a fighting career to an end without any grand announcement. That is why I believe you have to appreciate every opportunity while it is there.
You have to enjoy the training camps, the nerves, the walk to the ring and even the difficult moments. These experiences do not last forever, regardless of how young or old you are.
I don’t know how many more times I will fight.
It could be once. It could be ten times. Perhaps I will still be looking for a suitable opponent decades from now.
I’m not interested in setting an arbitrary retirement date. I will continue to assess myself honestly, listen to my body and consider the people who depend on me.
But while I still enjoy fighting, while I am still learning and while I remain grateful for every opportunity to compete, I don’t see a reason to walk away.
The dilemma of being an older fighter is knowing when determination becomes denial—but also recognising that age alone should never make that decision for you.
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