Sarah Liegmann – From the Ring Corner: Chaos That Feels Good

Before I get started, I’m really glad you’re here to read my column. It’s going to be chaotic, funny, but mainly 100 percent real. I’ll be sharing lots of anecdotes and experiences from the world of boxing, but also giving you some exciting insights into my everyday madness. And now it’s time to clear the ring!

I’ve finally been back in Florida since August 6. After waiting a year for my new visa, I was all the more excited to get back into my usual camp routine. But as is so often the case, the start went anything but according to plan. Chaos.

Because right now, everything is in a state of upheaval. Our gym has been undergoing continuous renovations since last year. Construction, expansion, or restructuring is taking place—or has already taken place—at every turn. And that’s keeping my coach and manager on his toes, on top of his personal and other professional commitments. Training times vary widely at the moment—there’s very little left of the set “daily routine” I’m actually used to from camp. The guys on our team have come to terms with the new situation by now, but they live here too.

When I returned to the gym on my first morning back, my Swiss teammate greeted me with just these words: “It’s not like it used to be.” My first impression couldn’t have been summed up more aptly. What did he mean by that? We used to be a large team of 6 to 8 competitive-level athletes. From ambitious amateurs to us pros. We all trained together as a team every morning at 10 a.m., pushing each other to our limits. Unfortunately, things look different now.

Meet up whenever it’s convenient

Since our manager took over the gym, the training schedule has changed as well. The amateurs and pros now train at different times. We pros don’t currently have set times; instead, we meet whenever it’s convenient. As a German, it’s really hard to deal with not having a set schedule, but unfortunately, that’s sometimes how it is when you’re commuting between two countries.

The best way to sort things out is to be there in person. John David Jackson was my first coach in the U.S. and is still an integral part of my team. However, in 2024, I brought another coach onto the team so I could benefit as much as possible from both of them. Now that I’m here, both of them are very busy.

Of course, I already knew that before I arrived. Still, it’s one thing to prepare yourself for it, and quite another to actually be here and realize that the daily training routine I’d been looking forward to for a whole year looks quite different from what I expected. Especially after such a long time—during which I couldn’t come back because of my visa—I probably already had a pretty clear idea in my head of how my first few weeks here would go. Reality then threw those plans out the window pretty quickly.

MVP Show Instead of Practice

On top of the already chaotic start to training, the next surprise came right at noon on my first day: My manager casually told me that we would be driving to Orlando at seven the next morning, since we had been invited to the MVP Show. It was convenient that I hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase yet.

The event itself was exceptionally well-organized and a lot of fun. I was especially looking forward to the main event, since I’d been waiting a long time for the matchup between Dina Thorslund and Cherneka Johnson. Evenings like this are always something special to me. Even though I don’t step into the ring myself, I watch the fights and like to take away insights from them for my own bouts.

As chaotic as my first few days in Florida started out, they were definitely not boring. I had actually just wanted to get back to my usual camp routine, but instead, after barely 24 hours, we were already on our way to Orlando.

Maybe that’s exactly what my new daily routine looks like right now: less predictable, more spontaneous, and a little more chaotic than before. But in the end, one thing matters most to me: I’m back here, I can train, and I’m back with my team. And after a year of waiting, even this chaos feels pretty good.