Originally from a village in North India, our head Boxing Coach, Pradeep “The Indian Warrior” Sihag first came to Australia in 2004 to compete in the youth Commonwealth Games. He has since moved to Australia and has worked with Absolute MMA tirelessly for the last five years to form our Boxing program and help countless students develop themselves. Having boxed since the age of 12, Pradeep has a combined amateur and professional record of 144 wins, 6 losses and 1 draw. He is the WBC Asian Middleweight Champion, Pan Asian Boxing Association Middleweight Champion and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation Asian Middleweight Champion. Read on to find out more about Pradeep!
What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?
Winning gold medal at the world amateur boxing cup and OPBF middleweight champion
What made you start Martial Arts?
I belong to a sports family. My grand father, my father, uncles and my elder brother were all wrestlers. I spent a lot of my time playing sports when I was a kid.
Mantra/Quote to live by?
One way, one life, one dream
Who is an inspiration to you, and why?
My grand father. He was a full time farmer until he was 66 years old. Then he started training and started competing in power walking, shot-put, discus-throw and hammer-throw and became a national champion multiple times. I used to go with him for training every morning when I was a kid. He showed me how to be an optimist, and be happy and healthy in your life.
If you were going to be an animal, what would you be and why?
A honey badger, because they are good hunters and quick.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I speak 6 languages.
Can you think of a common inspirational quote that you completely disagree with and why?
“Fake it till you make it.” – I think you don’t need to fake hard work.
Have you done other sports besides martial art and which teams/athletes are your favourite? Any funny stories?
I did compete in wrestling. I don’t have any favourite teams but my favourite athletes are Usain Bolt, Floyd Mayweather, Roger Federer, Steve Hooks and Jana Pittman.
If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?
Keep your hands up and head down.
During a Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?
Simon Carson because he has military experience, Daniel Herbertson because he is a good strategist and Maryanne Mullahy for her wrestling skills.
“Pradeep helped me achieve so much in boxing, I walked into the gym with no experience and 2 years later I’m most of the things I wanted to become and working towards bigger goals with him as my coach. When you first meet Pradeep you have to have the guts to take his jokes, then the strength to do what he tells you need to do to win, then the determination to win and to never quit.” – Antonia Kay, Absolute MMA Fighter of 2017
“People often cite talent when an athlete achieves at a high level but to write off Pradeep’s outstanding career to talent alone would not be acknowledging the incredible amount of work that has lead to him being the boxer and coach that he is today. Pradeep’s unwavering focus from his training and development as both a boxer and a coach is truly remarkable and that love and dedication to boxing is now being passed on to his students. We are extremely fortunate to have him as part of our team. His vertical leap is lacking a little though, just ask any of the staff who witnessed him trying to jump a fence at the last staff retreat.” – Daniel Herbertson