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Boxer rolls with the punches: Singaporean pro boxer bouncing back from defeats

Muhamad Ridhwan suffered two straight losses, but aims to get back to winning ways

Muhamad Ridhwan shadowboxing after his morning run at Fort Canning Park. The first phase of training before a fight consists of endurance runs, sprints, strength and conditioning exercises, and shadowboxing. The boxer lives by the dictum that one needs to
Muhamad Ridhwan shadowboxing after his morning run at Fort Canning Park. The first phase of training before a fight consists of endurance runs, sprints, strength and conditioning exercises, and shadowboxing. The boxer lives by the dictum that one needs to be fit to box and not box to be fit. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan taking a breather after a training session. A corner of his gym is plastered with newspaper articles documenting his boxing journey, which started when he first donned his gloves at 17.
Ridhwan taking a breather after a training session. A corner of his gym is plastered with newspaper articles documenting his boxing journey, which started when he first donned his gloves at 17. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan sprinting up a long flight of stairs that leads to Fort Canning Park, several times. It is no easy task, as seen from the two joggers holding on to the handrail and catching their breath after sprinting up once.
Ridhwan sprinting up a long flight of stairs that leads to Fort Canning Park, several times. It is no easy task, as seen from the two joggers holding on to the handrail and catching their breath after sprinting up once. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan (right) unwinding after a gruelling workout by playing a video game with Mohammad Syazwan, a business partner of their strength and conditioning gym Habit SG.
Ridhwan (right) unwinding after a gruelling workout by playing a video game with Mohammad Syazwan, a business partner of their strength and conditioning gym Habit SG. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan putting on his bee motif handwraps, which reflect boxing legend Muhammad Ali's famous quote: ''Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
Ridhwan putting on his bee motif handwraps, which reflect boxing legend Muhammad Ali's famous quote: ''Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan doing planking exercises, which improve the core muscles and stability. Inspirational messages such as "Fall down seven times, stand up eight" are painted on the walls of the gym.
Ridhwan doing planking exercises, which improve the core muscles and stability. Inspirational messages such as "Fall down seven times, stand up eight" are painted on the walls of the gym. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan is poetry in motion as he unleashes a combination of blows onto a punching bag. Besides boosting power, working on the punching bag helps to improve body positioning, technique and speed.
Ridhwan is poetry in motion as he unleashes a combination of blows onto a punching bag. Besides boosting power, working on the punching bag helps to improve body positioning, technique and speed. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ridhwan doing a battle rope exercise under the watchful eye of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, painted on the wall behind him. The workout helps to improve endurance in his shoulder muscles.
Ridhwan doing a battle rope exercise under the watchful eye of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, painted on the wall behind him. The workout helps to improve endurance in his shoulder muscles. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Muhamad Ridhwan hitting a speed bag in the gym. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
A coach holds up focus mitts for Muhamad Ridhwan to hit during "mitt work" training. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Muhamad Ridhwan tosses and catches tennis balls as he balances on a BOSU ball to improve his hand-eye coordination, timing and balance. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
The boxer is lost in his thoughts during a break after a training session. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Muhamad Ridhwan doing his morning runs at Fort Canning Park. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Chong Jun Liang Photojournalist
Updated
Jun 17, 2019, 04:35 PM
Published
Jun 17, 2019, 05:00 AM
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Perspiration trickles down his furrowed brows as the echoes of his grunts fill the gym. There is a strange hypnotic harmony elicited by his grunts and the squeals of the punching bag as leather meets flesh. Muhamad Ridhwan, 31, is poetry in motion as he unleashes combinations of jabs, punches and hooks onto the hapless bag.

As the three-hour session draws to a close, Ridhwan says he is going for round two. He is putting in extra hours for the day as he does not want my camera to distract him during his actual training routine.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 17, 2019, with the headline Boxer rolls with the punches: Singaporean pro boxer bouncing back from defeats. Subscribe

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