I'm happy to reply - slow day at uni :-)

1) was a gym close to uni - was a convenient location, wanted fitness + self defence then became obsessed as it challenged me and still does.

2) I agree with CaNcer - my best fight was the most challenging when I was pushed the most and still did myself and my coach proud. I have had fights won easily against less experienced opponents who connected with one light punch in a whole fight and won titles which mean much less/nothing to me. Nothing worth anything comes easily. It has forced me to become stronger in ways which are not only physical. I have met a lot of like minded people which makes the personal sacrifice of not having time to socialize in pubs etc as much worthwhile.

3) Normal meaning not injured - note I get told off for overtraining but need the endorphins:
Cardio - 11 sessions a week - running, running, running and a little swimming
Boxing - 5 or 6 nights a week
Weights - I'm slack and inconsistant - maybe 2 times but mostly just a little in with boxing training.

I can dress casually and have showers at work so can use lunch hour and mornings for cardio.

4) Yep - the degree to which they can take part varies though depending on experience - you shouldn't be allowed to walk into a gym and hop in the ring and start sparring on your first night and if you're smart you'll develop your skills a while before you fight and know from recreational training how much you want to put into it.

5) There are so many types of boxers. I think the most important part is to enjoy what you do. Then you can put the hard work, time and effort in without it getting you down. Some people could be great but don't love it enough, many are out of shape and unco-ordinated but become great over time. Nothing develops overnight.

6) I had some kickboxing experience and thought I was pretty good so with only 3 months boxing I took a fight for a novice state title. I took a fight against a girl 10 kg heavier than me thinking she was just a bit stocky and I'd be fitter so it would be easy. I'd heard she was tough enough to bash with a baseball bat without responding but she looked more nervous than me so i thought it was all BS just to scare me. When I got in there none of the punches I threw could even make her blink. I think I only made her blink once which freaked me out because I usually get more of a reaction from that just in sparring. I felt like she was a train hitting me and I had no hope of holding my ground. My mum was watching and bawling her eyes out as I could throw little jabs and run backwards but kept getting caught on the ropes and getting bashed. I didn't understand the rules because 8 counts in my local kickboxing cicuit were pretty much only given for knock downs. I thought I was doing something illegal when i was getting eight counts. They stopped the fight in the second round when I was caught on the ropes because the old decrepid referee was blocking my exit to the left and she was pounding me from the right. I had two black eyes and a blood nose. My opponent took the national title in her next bout. I was not too dissappointed because I lost to a good opponent but it opened my eyes to how much i didn't learn in kickboxing.

7) LOST!!!

8. I am a bundle of nerves leading up to it but love being there to support my team mates afterwards and feel I like the week or two after fight night when I have a new perspective on what I need to work on and a clearer direction for my training. In a fight that is going well I love the adrenalin after the first round when I'm no longer aware of the croud but am 'in the groove' and able to just pound away with not power limits which I don't do in sparring.

9) I'm a poor spectator so won't quote a famous fight. It'd be one of my team mate's wins with a knockout - he's a light heavyweight national champ. In this fight he was still only state champ fighting another state champ. He was told to box easy and technically the first round and was knocked down. The second rpund he was told to go for it and knocked out his opponent with a flurry of hooks that have power I've never seen before. It was beautiful not because it was a knockout but just because it was an example of perfection.

10) Afore mentioned team mate :-) Same guy won national title with a broken hand.

11) More females but also is very gradually changing from old school with myths like don't drink water while you train to being more up with sport science. Gradually improving. :-)