Rob and his Nikon.
Mamba Fight League13
Boxing
“Sometimes you get splattered, sometimes you get stepped on, but that ideal position is ringside, shooting up, to keep the fighter at a more heroic posture.”—Peter Politanoff
“Don’t count the days; make the days count.”
New to the country, but not to the sport of kickboxing and other disciplines of martial arts, is the young world-acclaimed Persian fighter Erfan Ahangarian. Erfan has just moved to Vancouver recently with his young family and has been training at Golden Glory Martial Arts under the guidance of world-famous kickboxer Mostafa Sabeti. There is an overflow of excitement within the organization at AMA40. This will be Erfan’s first fight in Canada. The date April 21,2023.
Behind the Scenes
Young fighter Josh Beaudoin and his coach Dave Kolinski wrapping the boxers hands under the watchful eye of the official
Josh sparring with his coach just before his fight.
Red Corner- all red corner fighters prepare behind this curtain.
Back from his fight discussing the outcome
Coach Joseph gives Erfan a jab and Erfan counters with a right roundhouse
Erfan and Mostafa preparing for the fight, going over maneuvers.
The house is full!
The traditional musical walk to the ring. Final check by officials and words by the coach.
TEAM Golden Glory.
Tyler- security- His work was cut out for him.
Photo Essay
Stories are important. This is a story about change over time and moving out of your comfort zone. This is a story about Xiaodan (Sheldon) Sheng and his journey to prepare for his first fight. It’s a document about incredible hard work, conditioning, setting goals, learning new technical skills but above all, it’s about sacrifice and courage. Critical to this fight story, Sheldon is not alone on this journey.
You see, Sheldon’s coach and trainer is the world famous 5th degree Black Belt kickboxer Mostafa Sabeti.
Master Sabeti, head instructor, owner, operator of GOLDEN GLORY MARTIAL ARTS studio in Surrey British Columbia, is a world champion himself. As the holder of IKFW world championship 2018 Heavyweight Division, 2018, Sensei Sabeti is also a 4 time SILVER Medal winner USA 2017, USA 2008, USA 2010 and Germany 2011. Sensei is the holder of the award “Best technical fighter award for Canada in 2002” and a record holder for the fastest knockout in national selection team history Montreal 2011 and much, much more. Master Sabeti is also an acclaimed coach in his home country Iran and for years now in Canada.
Sensei’s well-proven philosophy…. TRAIN HARD… FIGHT EASY and don’t get hit.
But, as much as this is a story about a coach’s challenges and determination to building a fighter, this is a story about Sheldon’s challenge and his journey to success, however, that will be defined.
Sheldon is not a stranger to winning, but not as a professional fighter, in contrast, he is a successful businessman and mortgage broker. This is what makes this story so unique and fascinating for me, and no doubt whichever direction this fight goes, Sheldon will come out a winner!
Sheldon has 8 weeks to prepare for this fight and I’m here to document it all through pictures.
Outdoor training with coach and friend Mostafa Sabeti
Mostafa Sabeti a technical master of fighting
Sensei Mostafa Sabeti businessman and 5th Dan coach and blackbelt kickboxer.
Sensei with one of his fighters JEZ.
“FIGHT CLUB” at Golden Glory Martial Arts
Mortgage broker HEADSHOT
Fighter PROMOTIONAL shot
It can be a lonely journey and one must work through the pain.
Anyway you look at this, this is hard work.
The most fundamental kick in kickboxing- THE ROUNDHOUSE kick. Here is where total leg strength and conditioning comes into play.
Hours and hours of shadow boxing is necessary to improve a boxer’s muscle memory.
Sheldon’s coaches …head coach and trainer Mostafa Sabeti and trainer/coach Shain Brooks.
Protective equipment is a must in advanced partner training.
Improving the Body punch.
Preparing for body shot practice.
Coach and personal trainer Shain Brooks.
Cardio, cardio and more cardio.
In kickboxing, leg conditioning can win the fight.
Cardio training with paddles and coach.
Daily BAG TRAINING regime.
SKIPPING ROPE- building the cardio, endurance and balance.
SHADOW BOXING - designed to improve form, muscle memory and technique before the big fight.
SHADOW BOXING- preparing yourself mentally for the big fight.
DOUBLE-ENDED bag training -Fine-tuning hand /eye coordination, slipping, accuracy, and speed. This certainly looks easier than it is to perfect.
The goal in preparation for any fight is not to get hurt in training. This is why stretching is so important.
HAND WRAPS- designed to compress the bones and tissue and help prevent damage to joints and soft tissue.
Keep that guard up and do not get hit.
Arm conditioning with Coach Sabeti.
Partner sparring with coach and trainer Shain Brooks.
Timing and flow drills (weaving} with coach Shain.
WITH only 2 weeks to go before the fight, its time to ramp up the strength & conditioning regiment. HOW, by adding some extra weight. Enter, the heavy and very uncomfortable 25 lb. weight-vest.
FASTER-STRONGER and HARDER now .
You can see Sheldon’s conditioning, speed and strength vastly improving. The weigh-vest just makes things harder.
Eye/hand coordination!! It’s not all about delivering that knock-out punch. A fighter has to remember the cardinal rule… NOT TO GET HIT. This exercise focus’s Sheldon’s concentration skills and reflexes.
Carrying and extra 25lbs, this exercise works upper and lower body as well as increasing overall strength and stamina.
HIGH-INTENSITY SPARRING
Sparring is not about beating each other up or fighting for real. It IS about learning how to fight, by PRACTISE fighting. Here is where you learn how to survive the rounds, perfect your stance and how to handle being out of your comfort zone. Important here…to breathe. Breathe when you punch, when you move and when you defend. Once again, this is much tougher than it sounds. Win the “fight” but don’t hurt your training partner. REMEMBER: He is on your team.
SPARRING with coach Shain. Don’t get caught flat footed.
Even your coach takes one once in awhile.
Friendships go out the window with these sparring sessions.
To be expected, in partner sparring you may have to eat a punch or two. This is where you will get accustomed to being hit.
ON THE ROAD
It’s now time to leave the familiarity of Golden Glory and Sheldon’s regular sparring partners. Neighboring kickboxing studios provide unfamiliar surroundings, different coaches and intensities and most importantly, new kickboxing challengers where you never know in what direction the fights will go.
Words from coach Christian… “Hit as hard as you want to be hit”. That applies to kicking of course as well.
At tonight’s amateur night event at REVOLUTION MARTIAL ARTS AND FITNESS in Langley, there will be opportunities to go one 3 minute round with up to 10 opponents. Let the fights begin!
Christian Tremayne, tonight’s mixed martial arts instructor and director of events to tonight’s matches.
Getting prepared physically and mentally for tonight’s action.
MUAY THAI present a real danger. Highly trained and well practiced in dangerous kicks and punches.
Christian keeps a watchful eye on the fighters, working closely on improving their techniques and breathing.
….. flying knees, sharp elbow strikes, hard kicks to the guts, and swinging punches. This is what Sheldon has to look forward to with this fighter.
POW!!!
A new fighter presents a new challenge.
Every round a different fighter with different techniques and expertise. Sheldon has 3 minutes per fighter to figure this all out.
Someone different every 3 minutes.
A great defensive move against a very dangerous roundhouse kick to the head.
This is an example of a masterful job of guarding the head and body.
A special THANKS goes to coach Christian for allowing Sheldon to spar with his best fighters.
IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT!! Sheldon is ready for his NOVEMBER 6th fight event.
OUTDOOR TRAINING: Even on one of your off days, when you are not training at the gym, you must continue to improve your conditioning.
OUTDOOR TRAINING is a critical component of boxer training.
Crucial before strenuous exercise is to stretch and warm up.
Sprints
Sprints
3km run in the morning.
Stair sprints.
Shadow boxing.
Sit-ups on concrete.. not the most pleasant.
If a picture is worth 1000 words, what do you think this picture is telling us? Could it be….He prepared, he’s focused and he’s ready to fight this weekend.
The best of friends become fierce opponents in the ring, but now a little bit of kidding around after a very tough sparring session.
Well the night before the fight was a busy night for Sheldon, in preparation for “the big MAMBA FIGHT NIGHTS” at the Abbotsford Event Center. Last night there was a lot of necessary pre-fight housework to be done. Firstly, the paperwork of registering for the event. This was followed up by the weigh-in to make sure both fighters weight matched the category in which they were registered to fight. After the weigh-in, there was the meeting with the doctor who checked a number of things like blood pressure, balance tests, concussion tests and a few more tests I wasn’t even sure about. To be expected, Sheldon passed the series of tests with flying colors.
Finally the stare-down. This is an attempt to get inside your opponents head to instill fear in them before the fight even starts. There are different ways of going about it, everyone has their own “pre-fight” style of intimidation. This is officially the first time these fighters have met and for both fighters, this moment in time needs to register. We are now ready to enter the ring tomorrow night at 6:00.
Portrait of a fighter.
Signing the waivers and consent forms.
204!!!! PERFECT!
A very thorough set of health checks and balances from the fight doctor.
Time for the stare down.
Today is fight day at the Abbotsford Event Center. Today there is no more preparing, The fight is on and Sheldon is ready. This whole experience for Sheldon is an unfamiliar one, yet Sheldon is more excited than ever. He is mentally and physically ready to take on the challenge and wants to get on with it. Mostafa on the other hand has many things on his mind. He needs to get Sheldon ready for the fight. Wraps need to be put on, Vasoline applied, muscles need to be warmed up, fight techniques both defensive and offensive need more reinforcing and some prefight visualization still to come. We get there 3 hours before Sheldon’s fight and the wait is killing him. Everyone’s emotions are running high.
An empty area awaits the boys while tables are being set up. Walking the venue long before the fight is part of Mostafa’s previsualization process for Sheldon.
Sheldon proudly wears the GOLDEN GLORY t-shirt tonight.
Officials preparing for the fight as well
Promoter, officials and ring girl conduct last minute checks with less than an hour before the event begins.
Sheldon is relaxed in the BLUE dressing room with other “Blue corner” fighters preparing for their fights. Sheldon is fighter #7.
The coaches energies are electric in the dressing room. Anticipations are high for their fighters.
Sheldon takes out from his preparation to pose with some pretty famous fighters and coaches.
Mostafa works with Sheldon to keep him warm, keep him flexible and stretch the muscles to reduce the chance of injury.
The taping and wrapping of the fighters hands is meticulous work. It has to be done professionally to prevent injury to tendons and bones.
The official keeps a watchful eye on Mostafa’s wrapping of Sheldon’s hands. This is a rule of any boxing or kickboxing match.
Mostafa applies petroleum jelly to Sheldon’s face making the skin more slippery and hence less likely to tear.
Still time to play.
Last minute fight prep as the ”blue corner” official watches.
This is a formidable opponent in the red corner. Sheldon has his work cut out for him.
The fight begins with lots of action right from the start of the bell.
Sheldon takes some good hits, His conditioning is good thanks to his coaches perseverance in getting him in shape for the fight.
A good hit by Sheldon
ROUND 1 was a very hard fought round that took its toll. Mostafa works on his body and mind to prepare for ROUND 2.
A bad hit to the head concerns Sheldon’s corner.
ROUND 2 and Sheldon’s opponent is relentless. Sheldon manages though to not get hurt with some pretty impressive defensive moves Sheldon returns back with some devastating kicks.
The fight was called 2 minutes into ROUND 2. The judges ruled it a TKO. You can see the disappointment and sadness in Sheldon’s face. He’s hard on himself at this moment. Over 60 years ago Jim McKay of Wild World of Sports coined a phrase “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” Those words and this photograph tells it all.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS…..
Win or lose, this photo story was NEVER to have a sad ending. Yes, Sheldon lost the fight, his 1st. fight, but this does not make it a sad ending to an exciting story.
I wrote earlier at the beginning of this project, that no matter what the outcome, Sheldon will come out of this, a winner. I stand by these words. Kickboxing is an unforgiving and potentially punishing sport where the difference between success and failure can narrow down to a single punch, One wrong bob or weave can prove deadly, so either of these two fighters could have won the match, but on the flip side, it takes years to be an accomplished fighter.
It was only a few months ago Sheldon thought of challenging himself by going into the ring to fight and only 8 weeks ago he started to seriously train. He worked incredibly hard, dauntless and with a never to give up attitude. It wasn’t easy getting to the gym 5-6 times a week and always with my camera in his face, recording the good and the bad. In those 8 weeks, he lost almost 30 pounds, gained muscle and developed the technical skills of fighting, all with a consummate mind over matter doggedness. That in itself is incredible and could well have been the end to this story.
Sheldon entered the ring that night full of confidence and well prepared, or as well prepared a fighter can be with only 8 weeks experience. He was in truly unfamiliar territory, trying to take it all in. He had to wrap his mind around the sights and smells, the bright lights, crowd, locker room & noise. The wooden floor of the ring was new to him and in a few minutes, he was to be face to face with an opponent who was going to try to hurt him. He did all this without reservation and he did this with his coach and friend Mostafa Sabeti. Eight weeks of preparation for 9 minutes in the ring. It’s all on the line.
For now, this journey is over.
But, looking back at this, Sheldon must feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. He set this goals and followed through. He did something most of us would never consider. He made new friends and fans and everyone who shared in Sheldon’s story is better for it.
On May 6th 2022 I had the immense pleasure of photographing Joseph Piccolo’s fight @MAMBA FIGHT LEAGUE 10, which was held at the Cascade Casino Resort in Langley. This was a SOLD OUT event and featured some of the best up-and-coming MMA fighters in Western Canada. You can tell by the pictures below, it was an emotional event for family and fans. With the leadership and training provided by world class master fighter Mostafa Sabeti, Joseph won the 3 round fight by unanimous decision.
Some past events and memories
Fight club outdoor training
GOLDEN GLORY evening training
