No matter what classification you participate in, amateur or professional fighting. There will be more than one time in your career that you prepare for a particular opponent and you train to tailor your skills for defeating him in one fight, and at the last minute you receive news two to three days before the match that you opponent has been injured, has a contract dispute, illness. etc. and will not fight.

The matchmakers are forced to pick someone whom you know nothing about and because of lack of intelligence information, you find out that you are outmatched; become injured, you are defeated or you lost your title to a Joe Blow that no one knew about. As they used to say in the 1980’s. Sh_t Happens! But why did this happen to you? You don’t think its fair that you have lost on the humble.

Well, this is a big world and sometimes merciless. Just like the guy that spent years building a business, then there is a bad set of circumstances that cause him to suddenly close his business, like you, he will have to start over again. But just like the businessmen who have watched the market and its trends. You will have to watch opponents in your classification also. The ones you are not familiar with, can be potentially the most dangerous.

Receiving intelligence on fighters is very important. The best way to start acquiring information on your present and future opponents is to start a network.

Networking in the fighting arts is similar to networking in other professions. You want to associate yourself with specialists that will provide you with information in different areas of pugilism.

The first area you want to start with are the people you will be matched against. More likely you will be matched with the fighters in your region of the state or province of your country. Once you compete with your adversaries, you want to stay in contact with them. The coaches, trainers, cut men, doctors, fighters, reporters, promoters, sponsors, etc. These people can give you valuable information of other fighters in that region. You want to get their names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses to stay in contact and make inquiries.

You will not be able to call these people about the fighters they are associated with or training, but you will be able to talk to them about fighters in other gyms or clubs that they have previously faced. Hopefully, as your amateur or professional career broadens into a nationally recognized one. You will be able to network with the casino employees, club owners, trainers, coaches, doctors, reporters, etc.

Don’t be afraid to strike up new associations with them because they may want to do the same with you. You will find that the flow of information around your opponents is free and plentiful. One characteristic about people in our occupation they love to talk. Everyone loves a good fight. Some guys do not remember their wives’ maiden names, but they can tell you round by round details of a fight that happened ten years ago.

Once you set up an information network around your fight career, you will be able to prepare for an opponent even if you never heard of him or her. Once you receive last minute information on a fighter you can spend the precious hours you have with your trainers on quick preparation. There will be less chance of you losing your standing or title.

GOOD LUCK AND KEEP ON PUNCHING!