Sarah Liegmann – from the ring corner: Sensational fight location

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!

Click here for the first and second part of Sarah Liegmann’s column.

After a restful night – not for everyone in our travel group – it was time for the official weigh-in. As it turned out, my few years of Spanish at school were very useful, as I was able to talk to the local doctor 80% of the time myself. But when it came to a recent pregnancy test, I looked at him with wide eyes. The promoter, who speaks fluent English and Spanish, translated briefly. After presenting the results of the annual BDB check-up, taking the pregnancy test and surviving the usual physical examinations with the doctor, I received my Dominican license to stand in the ring as a professional the next day.

Another hour passed before I was finally allowed on the scales, which made no sense as my opponent had been swapped in the morning due to illness and so my new opponent couldn’t arrive until the next day. But after all the formalities had been completed, there was a short parade to the beach. The promoter had previously held all his events in his restaurant – a location where Amanda Serrano had even fought. But this time he had come up with something very special.

Battle on the beach

Everything was really incredibly well organized. The tourists were filming, and so were we fighters, because I’m sure that the way there was unique for each of us. When we arrived at the beach, nobody could really believe it, because there was actually a ring in the middle of the sand. After taking a few photos, we all went back to the hotel. My mother and I decided to go back to the pool to cool off in the 30 degree temperatures. We met a German couple by the pool who were so curious that they actually came to the fight night the next day.

The organizer’s plan was for all the fighters to be on the beach around 5pm so that the event could start at 6pm. When we arrived, one thing was clear – the event wouldn’t start until 7pm. The equipment hadn’t been set up yet, the sun was still rather unfavorable and so far only our hotel neighbors were actually there. I’m always amazed that other countries have such a problem with punctuality.

Sand, tent, power failure and co.

We fighters had a small tent to warm up in, the floor of which was fortunately covered with wooden planks. No, that wasn’t a given, because the path to the ring, to the spectators and to the two porta-potties, which the fighters had to share with the almost 400 spectators, led through sand. Even today, I still find grains of sand in my boxing shoes from time to time. Even if that sounds negative, I thought it was great. I had a slight grin on my face the whole time because it was so incredibly chaotic, but at the same time the setting was unique.

When the event was finally due to start and the presenter had just spoken two words into the microphone – power cut. As I said, it was a one-off. Just like the second and third power cuts, because on these occasions the power went out in the middle of the fight. But now that the problem was known, it fortunately didn’t happen again. The technician was clearly overwhelmed. My mother didn’t care, because just before my match she gave him a USB stick with my warm-up song. I think that was his biggest task that evening, as he was under my mother’s supervision. But it worked!

When my song started, I went into the ring. As I stood in my corner, I was briefly distracted by the view of the sea – images I will never forget. Then everything happened relatively quickly and the fight was won. Alessio, the other fighter, also won his fight. We had a quick meal and then went straight back to the hotel, as we were flying back the next day. I had training again on Monday, because now I’m 100% focused on the big fight on April 26.