As we approach our final home show of 2025 on Friday 28th November, we turn the spotlight to Fight for Peace boxer Aslam – also known as ‘Astonishment’. Still early in his competitive journey but already shaped by resilience, discipline and a deep drive to grow, Aslam embodies what combat sports can unlock far beyond the ring. 

In part one of this two-part series, he shares the experiences, challenges, and self-belief that have fuelled his path so far and continue to push him forward.

How are you feeling about the upcoming home show on 28th November?

I feel good about this home show, the last one was great. I had a lot of support from my family. It was good to see that my cousin had made a flag with my face on it and I had no idea. I feel like it’s good for my teammates to see that, to see the humane side of me outside of training. I feel excited, and of course it’s an opportunity to better myself. Now people are starting to know me and my skillset, so pressure’s on and I like pressure – so let’s go!

What’s going to be different to this show than the one you competed in back in May?

I’m going to go in there having had five bouts, so my opposition will be of a higher experience level, and I’ve genuinely improved my skills, and my mindset too. So I’m looking forward to showing how that skillset has improved. My technical level has got better and I can’t wait to showcase it at Fight for Peace, to coaches, teammates and supporters. One thing that will stay the same is my celebration bows after I win. 

The iconic ‘Astonishment’ bow! How did you get into boxing in the first place?

I think it just started from watching the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). It was actually UFC 193 Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm. Watching that bout was just exciting and interesting and just seeing the technical ability they put in – I saw it as a dance. Some people see it as fighting, but I saw it as something nice to look at. 

I guess I’ve always had a fighter’s spirit, even since I was young, since school. At first I was a bit scared but as time passed and as I got older and entered my 20s, I thought I’d just give it a go because at the end of the day, I see it on the TV and I think ‘I may as well just give a martial art a go’. Someone told me about the Fight for Peace and I came. The rest is history.

I’m still early in my boxing journey, I’ve only had five bouts so far and I’ve been boxing for almost 4 years. I actually took a break and worked full time for a year and something in my gut told me I had to get back to boxing. I wanted to commit myself, so I did.

What experiences have shaped your boxing journey and motivated you to keep going?

I didn’t have it the easiest growing up. I had adversity and struggle, especially growing up, like, I’m not from a rich house and I’m not afraid to admit that, and I’m not afraid to work for what I want in life. I’m not afraid to fight for what I want, and what I want is to be better, and showcase that I can be respected, that I can do it. I feel like that’s what most people will do martial arts for. 

Growing up I just learned to fight for what I want. I’ve worked in places where it’s commission only and I did a sales job working 100 plus hours a week and there were days where I made zero pounds. It was tough, and it’s not for everyone – but the skills I learned there helped me prepare for boxing in a way – to keep pushing and also have a positive mindset.

I like learning, I like challenges, adversity, struggle and I feel with boxing there is adversity and struggle just going into the ring. It can be tiring, exhausting and also it’s like – you can have a bad day in boxing, but there’s always a chance to come back. 

There are times when I’d have a bad spar, and then it’s just learning from there from the people around you giving you feedback, like coaches and teammates. Also, just ultimately having that belief in myself that you know what, I can come back, and I can do better – you know? At the end of the day, if it’s a bad day, it doesn’t define me as a boxer, I can always just bounce back. And it’s that feeling that just kept coming back to Fight for Peace, and boxing. 

What made you want to stay in the sport and become a competitor?

I feel like I’ve naturally been good at boxing, and had that natural ability and talent. I’ve always been into sports growing up, like I used to do athletics and my fitness came from that – the running and the stretching. I’ve always been good at body mechanics, being body smart so I was able to be good at boxing, even though I was unaware I was able to transfer my skills from athletics to boxing, like co-ordination. I realised as well that not many people have basic coordination skills, you see people struggle with it in the gym. 

Also, because I’m not the loudest in the room, I keep my head down in the gym but the thing is, when you’re naturally good people are going to notice and then ask questions about what’s next. I never said I wanted to compete but the coaches noticed me and asked if I wanted to join the competitors team, so it happened naturally. That’s how it all started. 

Based on your experience so far, what advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting boxing?

One thing I wish someone would have told me early in my boxing career is that winning or losing doesn’t define you, it’s the progress that counts. Even in life in general you can win, lose – it doesn’t matter. 

Sometimes even in amateur boxing things can happen out of your control, judges can get it wrong, mistakes can be made. Even the judges are learning in amateur boxing. Life is still going to go on, you know? 

The world is still spinning, people are still going, doing their own thing. People have their big moments but at the end of the day regardless of the outcome, life goes on – it’s a learning curve, an experience you’re just living. When you’re sitting by the sunset in your 60’s, and in your old age, you’ll be able to look back at it. Just enjoy the journey. 

Join us on Friday 28th November for the Fight for Peace Home Show as Aslam steps into the ring for his sixth competitive bout. Come down, support our athletes, and experience an evening celebrating hard work, community, and the spirit of the sport. We’ll see you there!