A few things have changed since Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid al-Thani stretched his unbeaten professional boxing victory run to 10 in March this year.
The Qatar-based boxer has parted ways with Cuban coach Ismael Salas, for instance.
But what hasn’t changed is the 31-year-old’s hunger for extensive groundwork, more bouts and wins, further learning and development, as he makes his ascent up the boxing food chain, and trainer Franck Bohec.
The super welterweight boxer has confirmed the dates for his next two bouts – July 27 and September 28 in Spanish cities of Leon and Madrid respectively.
While the opponents are yet to be confirmed, Sheikh Fahad is looking forward to the two bouts as learning experiences.
“Both the bouts are being set up keeping in mind my ranking, learning more and getting more rounds under my belt,” he told Gulf Times. “It is critical to keep the activity level high at this stage. I want to see every style, mover, puncher, southpaw, orthodox, so that when I go up the ranks, I know I have seen all kinds of boxers out there.”
Sheikh Fahad found himself at the hallowed Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 1 this year, and saw the Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr pull off a technical knockout victory in the seventh round.
While most called it a shock win, Sheikh Fahad felt “it wasn’t completely surprising”.
“I could see it was his (Joshua’s) first time to deal with that style of a boxer, short, stocky, comes forward with fast hands. I don’t want that to happen (to me). Yes it is learning on the job, but it is critical to learn at an early stage, rather than later. When you are on top, you plan to stay on top and it is tough to stay on top,” he said.
When he takes to the ring with Bohec in his corner later this month in Leon, where he has won twice in his unblemished career so far, it would also be for a cause – one to support Spanish boxer Saul Tejada.
Tejada, a double Spanish champion, suffered a haemorrhage during his bantamweight title defence bout in October 2016, after which he was in coma for months fighting for his life. Many solidarity cards have been organised in the past with the proceeds going to the Leonese boxer and his family for his treatment as he recuperates.
“It will be a good way to appreciate a local champion and Spanish boxing for giving me the opportunity to keep going with my boxing career. WBC and WBA have donated as well; the boxing community there has come together to show their appreciation for a Spanish champion, who has given so much to the sport,” Sheikh Fahad said.
“It is an opportunity for me to show my appreciation for Spanish boxing and its heroes. I hope in future, we have a federation for pro boxing that will help all the Middle East boxers like myself. Someone in Tunisia, Morocco, Kuwait, who want a license, they won’t have to go to Europe to get a license. Hopefully Qatar can take a step forward in this direction.”
Sheikh Fahad hopes to go up against bigger names from established boxing centres next year onwards.
“It would create an impact and further my career path in the professional space. I am not looking over my next opponent, but I am prepared to learn every day,” he said.
“I will be getting some boxers from the US to spar with; I already had fighters from Puerto Rico, Mexico (recently). When I worked with Salas in Vegas, I built a huge network of contacts within the boxing community and so I know who to bring, understand the different styles, experienced guys, who spar with guys like (Floyd) Mayweather. Then I would know how to get better and better, and that is a gauge.”
Even as Salas, who has trained 20-plus world champions in his career, came and went, one constant in Sheikh Fahad’s corner has been Bohec.
“Bohec knows me inside out. He knew me even before I became an amateur, when I was in the UK as a student, 17-18 years old. So he is not just a coach, he is a mentor, friend, it is a very different relationship. He has evolved as well, and we have done that together,” he said.
“Salas really helped me and Bohec understand the pro system. He was very useful not just for me but also for Bohec and we learnt a lot from his time with us. We follow the same guidelines as Salas.
“I am working every day in the gym with Bohec, working on my feet, my hand placement, my speed, my leg control, all these things, and I look forward to show a higher level in the fight. I have been getting better with each passing fight, showing more maturity, more understanding, more calmness.
“Bohec knows me more, what ticks and what does not, and he has a great insight into sports science. He and Salas got along really well and complemented each other. So I don’t think anything much will change, because I will be training in the same systematic manner and move forward fight by fight.”