$55,489, that's the paycheck Korea's national and internationally known female champion boxer Choi Hyun Mi will be getting when she steps in the ring for a match that to say is mismatched would be the understatement of the year.
Hyun Mi is a very talented boxer who comes from a very sad past -- her and her family escaped from North Korea and now reside in South Korea. She's got a rag to riches story and you can't help but be amazed by her story and wish her nothing but the best. She really does deserve the best and not just because she's been through things no one should have to or could ever imagine but because she's really worked so incredibly hard to not only make a life for her family and herself but also a career in professional boxing. With her impressive national and international champion rankings, her opponent this weekend will be stepping in for only her second fight -- a match-up that clearly has many of us in the boxing community scratching their heads as to what KBC/KBA and WBC were thinking. It's really quite embarrassing because I fight under a KBC/KBA boxing license; they don't represent fair fighting and all that should be right in boxing.
One of my friends from Beat Boxing came over tonight and we talked about Hyun Mi's upcoming fight. It was then that he told me how much she'd be getting. I was sure I misunderstood him so I asked him to type the number on my computer screen Word document file. Yup, I had heard correctly. I was speechless. "And here I've been boxing for eggs, raw beef, clothes and free dental work!" I laughed out. We had a good giggle over that, me especially, because some of my sponsors of past and present do support me by giving me free products from their companies.
Good for her. Not many Korean boxers here can say they solely support themselves with their boxing.
Hyun Mi's main sponsor is a bank and mine is a man who owns both an imported car dealership and a 24hr upscale restaurant (WOW President). She gets money and I get cars and endless amounts of free food, nice. Can't say I'd change sponsors though because I doubt her sponsor is as integrated into her life and boxing as mine is.
Speaking of WOW, he dropped by late in the evening for boxing but, before he started training, he asked me to help him pick out some new boxing boots online. He is very much into the Nike boots and I'm sure it's because Snickers is all about Nike boxing boots, so I searched out some sweet Nikes for him. We had a cute little argument over which is better, Nike or Adidas, and of course I pushed for Adidas. I love Adidas! After he picked out the pair of Nike boots he liked, he then asked me about Adidas. I told him I was in love with the Adidas Adipower boxing boots so I started to rant and rave about them -- they're awesome. They were actually made specifically for the 2012 London Olympic Games and with it's sturdy spine and lightweight breathable mesh, they're perfect for my weak ankles and sweaty feet that always stink up my boots. Ever since I saw them, a little over 7 months ago, I've been saving my $1 bills for them.
WOW ended up buying himself the Nike boots I recommended, he bought Snickers a pair too and then he bought the Adipower boots for his son. I felt so crushed and actually I got a bit emotionally after he left the office, as silly as that sounds.
I wasn't upset that he had bought Snickers a pair of boots even though Snickers does have four good pairs and I'm the one desperately needing new boots. I'm a boxer with no properly fitted boxing boots; mine are two sizes too big. I wasn't upset that he didn't buy me boots nor do I want him to do so, I'm quite capable of buying mine own and I've been patiently and successfully saving my money for a pair. I have almost half the needed amount saved up already. Instead, I was upset that he had decided to buy his son this particular pair (same colour too) that I've been wanting so bad for so long. I don't want to wear the same boots as someone else at my club and I surely don't want to be the second person to wear them after someone who doesn't even care for them or know they exist does.
I haven't yet finalized the purchase of these three boots because my eBay account is new. I'm still waiting to get my credit card bill so I can finish the authorization process. I anticipate this to be completed within the next week. Then I'll have to press "confirm" and the order will be then processed, packaged, delivered to Hulk's, and then worn by them.
I really don't want to get these particular boots for his son but what can I really say, I mean he is my sponsor and I don't want to come across as ungrateful and rude. Hulk's wouldn't be in business if it weren't for our sponsor's awesome support and continual encouragement and I will forever be thankful to be supported by such a sponsor who is really like none other, but I really don't want to help him get these boots. I've been saving and waiting for over 7 months now for these boots and I'm willing to wait more, I expect to have to wait more, but to have to now get them for someone else... ouch. That really hit a sensitive spot.
I tried to let it digest as I sat in the office alone but it didn't really help so I got up and decided to train. When I exited the office WOW and Snickers were lacing up their boxing boots. I have no boots to lace up, only runners, and I really was in no mood to box beside them and their nice, no-replacement-needed boxing boots, so I weight trained. I know I over trained tonight. I just kept on training and training because I knew that stopping meant that when I finished and went to sit down on the front couch that they too would finish and sit down beside me. Then I'd have to sit there in my runners, beside them in their boxing boots.
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