Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (right) and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
I tried boxing once. I had the same humbling realization as when I watched my wife give birth to our twin boys--I am not as tough as I think. As if the mental game of fighting under the rigors of such extreme full-body conditioning wasn't enough...someone is beating you up, like for real. And in combat sports like Muay Thai mixed martial arts you are being beaten up by someone's two fists, two knees, two elbows, two shins and various clinch holds. Not me man. Not me.
Jon Bianco, aka 'Jon Boy', is a deceptively kind looking 20 year old fighter from upper Manhattan who I've had the near impossible challenge of trying to capture his sparring practice. Jon has been fighting under the tutelage of Sifu Dan Anderson at his Tribeca gym (Anderson Martial arts) for the past 5 years and they have a big night this friday--Jon's first championship bout.
Jon is fighting Canadian Derrick Henriques at Friday Night Fights "Perfect Storm" event this Friday October 17th at The Broad Street Ballroom.
I will follow up next week with pictures from the championship match.
I hope you enjoy the photos.
Shameless plug for my NYC photoblog ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. If you're doing something cool and NYC ping me and I'll come shoot you!
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (right) and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (left) and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (left) and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (left) and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Coach Dan Anderson of Anderson Martial Arts.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Najeeb Jones.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco's tattoo translated as, "Using no way as way. Using no limitation as limitation."
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (right) and his sparring partner Mike Kelly.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (right) and his sparring partner Mike Kelly.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (right) and his sparring partner Mike Kelly.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco (left) and his sparring partner Victor Plajas.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his sparring partner Mike Kelly.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco and his Coach Dan Anderson.
Fighter Jon 'JonBoy' Bianco.