“Boxing is like playing poker—you can really feel someone’s emotion,” says 24-year-old Zachary Wohlman of going head to head in the ring in this penetrating short by filmmaker Crystal Moselle. Having entered the world of professional boxing at a relatively late age, the striking Los Angeleno has taken the sport by storm, climbing its competitive ranks at a startling rate. He began in the ‘behind-the-barn’ amateur boxing scene in Mexico while attending military school across the border in Texas, and went on to win the coveted Los Angeles Golden Gloves in 2009. He turned pro in December 2011 and his signature slicked-back hairstyle has since graced the cover of LA Weekly and appeared in American Apparel campaigns. With a current four wins to a single loss and coaching support from the legendary Frederick Steven “Freddie” Roach—whose past training successes include the swift-footed world champion Manny Pacquiao—2013 looks to be his year. Moselle, a NOWNESS contributor who has shot for the likes of Sony and M.A.C. cosmetics, takes us to the other side of the ropes to unveil the boxer’s secrets before his upcoming fight against fellow welterweight Shawn Wate on February 22. “I like to capture the off moments and reveal the vulnerability that is not always visible,” says the director. Read on for more on Wohlman’s pre-fight rituals.

What’s your personal routine leading up to a match?
Zachary Wohlman: You want your body to be in a rhythm and have your timing right. Before I get into a fight I go to a witch doctor and light a candle. You basically write what your intention is on the candle and it burns while you’re fighting. I also wear the same T-shirt under my robe every fight. It’s pretty funny—I’m very superstitious so that’s part of my mental preparation. I have to stay very calm before a fight—whether or not you stress about it, you’ll still be getting in the ring. 

Is the ring a lonely place?
ZW: You might think it is, but there’s a team vibe. It’s the energy from the trainers and coaches—I just go out there and carry the message. 

Is being intuitive the best asset you bring into the ring as a fighter?
ZW: I’m very self-aware and conscious of what’s going on around me and how I’m feeling. It’s not always great as sometimes I can overthink things, but for the most part I’m just connected to the general energy. You learn intuition and street skills growing up but I think it’s also something you’re born with. A world champion once told me that your personality will show in the ring—boxers translate their lives into the way they fight. I’m not Mike Tyson. I’m not the come-in-to-knock-him-out kind of guy. I go in there and I box smart, I work off the jab, I set things up. I’m crafty, I’m tricky—that’s my personality both inside and outside the ring. There are pictures of me laughing while I’m fighting.