Internal Clock

6:30 a.m. I don’t need an alarm clock. After 20 years in the fight game, my body is wired to wake up now to start my morning training regimen. Today is no different. I am fighting in December to defend my world title. I’ve got to be disciplined and determined every morning for the next couple of months.

Morning Run

7:00 I step out into the foggy, bicycle-filled Da Wang Road. Traffic is building up and before long it will be too busy for a decent run. I stretch impatiently and bolt into a fast run. My run takes about 50 minutes and covers 10 km, ending at my gym, the Black Tiger Academy. This is my route five days a week.

Training

8:10 I jog into Jianwai Soho, slowing down until I am practically limping toward our building. I twisted my ankle while running, but it doesn’t bother me much. I’ve survived more injuries in a lifetime than a crash dummy. I get in, grab a soggy pair of handwraps and step onto the training mat. Connecting my iPod to a speaker, I start off with some Lenny Kravitz. I dance around, throwing punches, kicks, elbows and knees in the air, almost to the rhythm. This is called shadow-boxing, one of the best and most effective workout drills in Thai boxing training.

Still Going

8:20 I slip on a pair of boxing gloves and start pounding my fists, elbows, knees and feet on the bag. There’s nothing better than the sound of hard impact in the morning.

8:45 I finally step away from the sweat-splattered bag and, for the next 45 minutes, perform exercises that are a mix of gymnastics, yoga and military training. Today, I do 300 pushups, 300 sit-ups and 100 pull-ups in sets of 50. I use the yoga ball to do abdominal conditioning and a pull-up rope to exercise my shoulders, arms and back.

Quality Time

9:30 The phone rings, and it’s my mom calling from New York. My brother and his wife have just had a baby. I’m an uncle! I sprawl back on the mat and ask for details. Afterwards, I call up friends and family in the United States and chat while I stretch and warm down on the mat.

Flashback: Silcon Valley

10:15 On the way home, I get a call from a headhunter in Hong Kong representing a software company wanting to hire me. I worked in Silicon Valley for 16 years. I tell the guy that I’ve retired, which isn’t totally true since I still maintain a few software consulting clients. But I do this work in my spare time, just to keep my mind and skills sharp. It’s not about money anymore.

Boxer at the Computer

12:00 p.m. In my home office, I spend a couple of hours in front of the computer, munching on a gigantic protein bar and finishing off three bananas. I answer emails and write reports for my clients. As soon as I’m done, I roll into bed for a two-hour nap to replenish my energy.

Drill Team

3:30 I arrive at the gym, and my trainers are already waiting. For the next two hours, they put me through grueling drills with kicking pads, the heavy bag and weights. I spend the last 30 minutes sparring and clinching. Finally, I plop down on the mat, completely exhausted, almost to the point of throwing up.

Feeding Time

5:30 My training for today is over. Famished, I quickly shower, change and head to a Guandong restaurant in my complex. Dinner is boiled chicken, soup, vegetables, tofu and rice. I chug down two large bottles of water during the meal.

7:30 I head back to the gym to supervise classes. During the session, I have to leave twice to explain Muay Thai to potential students visiting. As soon as I can, I bound back to the mat like a kid running to the playground.

Party Over

9:25 I lock up for the night, feeling energized yet exhausted. In the elevator, I even throw a few punches into the air, scaring the hell out of the little old cleaning lady. I should sleep early tonight, but as I head to the parking lot, my phone rings. It’s one of my clients. They want some last-minute changes on a technical document I wrote for them. It’s at least a three-hour job and they need it ASAP—as in yesterday. There goes early.