A Map and A Landscape

Fighters must always know where they are. This sense of place is just as imperative in the bout as outside the fight. Real success for a fighter is not just winning one bout, it is a successful long term career. It is moving from one place to the next to get to the end goal. Asa Ten Pow knows about that journey.

“I think about it every day,” the Muay Thai Addict sponsored fighter said. “Whether it’s about the next step forward or bouncing back.”

Ten Pow is an accomplished striker with a background in Sanshou. He started competing young but came to the limit in the sport when he was a teenager. It made him question where he was and what he was doing. And so, the Florida Kickboxing Academy fighter began fighting on the international stage in Muay Thai and kickboxing.

His steady stream of bouts had him meet with both success and failure as fighting regularly means regular wins and losses. Recently Ten Pow was on an impressive six fight undefeated streak until he met Zakaria Zouggary at Glory Collision 2 in Amsterdam. The Moroccan was fast on his feet and able to take a points victory over the American.

“I was chasing this dude around. It was back and forth with footwork a lot. I had a little bit of trouble with timing,” Ten Pow said.

Defining The Course

This bout is another step in his course and is helping him once again define where he is.

“At this point, I’ve had worse losses. He beat me so it puts my mind in a different direction in terms of what I need to do. What do I need to change more up? What do I need to lessen,” Ten Pow said.

The weight of the bout is still on him. Ten Pow is the owner of Florida Kickboxing Academy in Palm Beach Florida. He manages and trains himself along with the careers of half a dozen aspiring boxers such as IFMA World Championship 2019 silver medalist Coral Carnicella. Balancing multiple projects at a time can be a heavy load.

“I definitely need to be more of an athlete,” Ten Pow said. “I need to be just a fighter. I can’t always be the trainer and owner. I had issues with that.”

Learning Lessons The Hard Way

What training should be like and what should be focused on is a difficult decision for high level fighters. Refining choices is something learned through trial and error.

“I’ve gone through the experience of going to a high level and losing already,” Ten Pow said. “I know when I lost last time, I wanted to get back in there. It was after my Muay Thai Grand Prix fight. I lost that one on a close decision. I wasn’t properly recovered, and I broke my arm in training. My arm wasn’t all the well healed and I sparred and broke it.”

Staying The Course

After his arm healed Ten Pow signed with Glory. He rose quickly in the ranks achieving a lot in his career. Ten Pow knows it’s a rough path. He’s staying the course.

“I still have the same career goals,” he said. “I still believe in what I do. I want to be a champion for a world class organization and I believe Glory is a world class organization for kickboxing.”

He’s come a long way since he first started and is continuing to make strides towards becoming a champion. He has goals and Muay Thai Addict believes in him too. Asa is one of the original sponsored athletes by Muay Thai Addict and will support his journey to the last day.