Every time 20-year-old amateur boxer Andrew Tabiti spars with professional MMA fighters, his confidence grows.
The same can't always be said of the professionals.
As a boxing student under Las Vegas-based trainer Gil Martinez, Tabiti has the special privilege of occasional sparring sessions with fighters such as UFC lightweights Gray Maynard and Tyson Griffin.
In most cases, Tabiti is a great partner because he gives the pros a challenge and pushes them to get better. When a certain pro has a fight coming up, however, Martinez usually keeps Tabiti away.
"When some of those guys are getting ready for a fight, I don't like to throw Andrew in there because I like their confidence to be high," said Martinez, who works as the striking coach at the Xtreme Couture gym.
"You get a kid that's 20 years old with 11 amateur fights and he's putting his hands on you? It's not the best thing for your ego."
Tabiti (16-2) showed off his boxing potential in the ring earlier this month, advancing all the way to the semifinals of the National Golden Gloves tournament in the 201-pound division before dropping a decision to eventual winner Steve Geffrard.
