It’s the early morning. The first training session is underway at Halmich Gym. Work ahead of the Lilly Sanchez fight starts… now.

Regina: “You have technique, speed, brains and power, but I want to make you more robust. Technique depends on strength. You need it to keep control of your moves and delay exhaustion. Muscle memory will also allow you to keep making the right decisions and movements instinctively at any moment in a fight.”

Alesia: “Right!”

The new coach throws herself into it by training with her fighter.

Regina: “Follow my lead. With time, you’ll be able to keep up with my rhythm and eventually outlast me because you’re younger.”

The new coach puts Alesia through grueling sessions. It starts progressively, with shadow boxing as depicted above, and goes on with other exercises such as sprints, crunches and whatnot. At the end of each session, the pair is exhausted but happy with the progress.

Work with a sparring partner is next.

An important step in the training camp ahead of the Lilly Sanchez fight is to address body shot vulnerability.

Regina: “In the fight against Stephanie, body shots slowed you down and that ultimately cost you the Silver title. We’ll make you stronger.”

Alesia: “What are we doing?”

Regina: “Great fighters are able to take any body punch except one to the liver. We have several things to do.”

The training regimen first makes Ally lose her love handles. Her midsection becomes harder, with more muscles. Then, work with the medicine ball makes her practice breathing out before physical impact.

Then, Regina brings in a sparring partner. Kasandra “Bombel” Sobieski, a young pro fighter from Poland, who is on a special mission today.

Regina: “We’re doing a body punching drill. What we’ve done with the medicine ball we’ll do with real punches. Breathe out and brace for the impact.”

Kasandra hits Ally with punishing body blows. She resists but can’t hide the pain.

Regina: “Suck it up!”

Now that’s an old-school piece of advice…