'In September 2023, I started boxing. I had just finished my time as a director at Hotel Hildesheim in Germany and started working at Hotel Eindhoven. During that period, things were not going so well for me, and my father pointed me towards the networking club Business Boxing Eindhoven. An active business club where entrepreneurs and business professionals participate in boxing training. My father and uncle had participated in boxing galas in the past and won them. It seemed exciting to continue that family tradition, even though I had zero experience in boxing.'

AT THE RIGHT MOMENT

'I immediately loved the training. It gave me rhythm and structure, which made me feel a lot better soon. Looking back, boxing came at the right time for me. At first, I found boxing a bit awkward. You can hurt someone and also get hit yourself. But don't worry, you don't step into the ring right away! You start by practicing the technique and only months later you start sparring. I was guided very well in that. The first training match was a bit strange, because we trained with men and women mixed together. There were also men who were almost two meters tall. If you get hit by one of them, it can hurt, but at some point you stop being afraid. I did get a black eye twice, but that's part of it.'

EMOTIONAL

'Boxing with a business networking club is a unique way to really get to know each other. Because you're working together towards the boxing gala, the group quickly becomes close-knit. We trained several times a week, and in the lead-up to the gala, even four to five times. It was an intense period, especially alongside my busy job at Hotel Eindhoven, but everyone supported me. The Business Boxing Gala was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. I felt a healthy kind of tension the entire time. At the same time, I was involved in organizing the evening, since it took place at Hotel Eindhoven. So on one hand, I was anxious about whether everything was running smoothly, and on the other, I was nervous about stepping into the ring. It was amazing that everything went so well. With around 500 people in the audience, including lots of family and friends, I gave it my all and won. I had worked so hard for this. When I stepped out of the ring, my father and I were quite emotional. I was following in his footsteps. He was truly my mentor leading up to the fight, just like he is in the hotel, where one day I will take over from him.'

EXHAUST VALVE

'I spent almost a year preparing for the boxing gala, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. Boxing became my outlet almost by accident, and even after the gala, I kept boxing because it still makes me incredibly happy. It’s a great sport to clear your mind, especially after a busy workday. I’ve tried many different sports, but there’s no other one that makes me sweat this much within five minutes. It’s truly super intense. I don’t train as often now as I did last year, but I definitely want to keep it up. I’m lucky to work with some amazing trainers, including a few Dutch champions. The fitness center at Hotel Eindhoven was completely renovated a few years ago, and they even installed a boxing ring. It’s a great place to train. I also really enjoy sharing the passion for boxing with my father, even though he’s not training as actively anymore. My dad still thinks he’s better than me, but maybe we’ll have to settle that in the ring one day!'