“I thought I would be more nervous, but I was surprised because I’m pretty good,” he declared, exclusively to the newspaper EL MUNDO, two days before the big day, YoSoyPlex. Daniel Alonso Góndez, a young man from Zamora famous for filming himself travelling around the world in 80 days with his friends and who has 13.5 million followers on his YouTube channel, has been preparing for the fourth edition of the Evening of the Year since he received the news that he was going to fight against the Mexican ‘youtuber’ The MarianaA high-profile duel taking place this Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and organised as always by Ibai Llanos, which brings popular Spanish-speaking content creators into the ring.
YoSoyPlex likes to take the things he does very seriously. Since his fight was confirmed, has not stopped with daily training starting in Thailand and ending in Madrid. Today, EL MUNDO was able to accompany him to learn about his training routine and speak exclusively with him about his challenge, halfway between sport, entertainment and 21st century communication.
“I had just survived on an island for 10 days. Eating horribly, super thin and very weak,” he reveals how he found out he had been chosen to participate in the Evening of the Year“I was in Hungary and I got a message from Ibai. The truth is that I was really excited,” she says. Without thinking much, she said yes. “But then I thought about it and said to myself: what have I gotten myself into?”
The spartan physical preparation that he has undergone these last four months began in Thailand, participating in a 15-day training camp. YoSoyPlex learned in the eastern country to trust his coach. Together with the presenter Frank Cuestafamous for his television show about dangerous animals and extreme challenges ‘Frank de la Jungla’, published a video in which he explained his routine in a relaxed tone.
In a fragment of the video published on the Plex channel, Cuesta places several tarantulas and centipedes on the body of the ‘youtuber’. “Frank’s main objective that day was not to make him braver or less, but to gain his trust. “He told me: ‘I know what I’m doing, trust me, let the scorpion sting you’,” says the boy, highlighting his first learning, the calmness and determination that one must have for the instructor.
Training
Since landing in Madrid on February 26, it has not stopped for a single moment. Plex has decided work your body The Boxer Club chain of boxing gyms, where one of the best female boxers in the world, Jennifer Miranda, and various national promises such as Jonathan ‘Maravilla’ Alonso, train. The results achieved by the ‘youtuber’ -apart from the speed of his movements- can be seen in his physical change.
In the facilities of said gym, this Thursday, only the Screams The shouts that the various boxers, including Plex himself, let out due to the gigantic effort made. Javi Pardo, YoSoyPlex’s trainer, also shouts. “I don’t want to see anyone talking, just resting” or “in three, two, one time” are some of Pardo’s shouts that echo near the ring.
“If I set myself a challenge, which is boxing in a fight, I like to feel and experience what a professional boxer does and give myself 100% to it,” says YoSoyPlex about his preparation. In addition, he assures that the double training sessions, the strict diet, the sleep routine and the cold baths have not only helped him to opt for victory, but have also helped him to grow personally.
The stadium Santiago Bernabeu will fill all its seats (more than 80,000) this Saturday with an audience interested in seeing their favorite ‘streamers’ beat each other up live. Jumping in front of such a large number of spectators for the first time can be intimidating. “Thank God I don’t feel that strong anxiety because there will be so many people. The important thing is to know that the work is done, that you have done everything possible in preparation and knowing that you have given it your all. In the ring, all you have to do is enjoy it,” he says.
Controversy with El Mariana
Preparations for this edition of the Evening of the Year have been peppered with controversy, to which Plex has not been immune. Mariana accused him of, after his arrival in Spain, the man from Zamora prohibited him from training in a gym in Madrid. “He can go now if he wants and he could have gone whenever he wanted,” the accused told this newspaper. “The thing is that he couldn’t do personal training at that gym.” That is, he couldn’t train with the professionals who had accompanied him from Mexico. However, he assures that “it’s a long story that will be told.”
Following the publication on Ibai Llanos’ channel of two videos about the training routines of both El Mariana and YoSoyPlexseveral Internet users have claimed that the Mexican’s blows make much more noise than those of the Spaniard. Plex, using slang, covers himself: “It was loud, but it was noise.”
Fans will be able to see this Saturday who beats who. The only thing that the twenty-something YouTuber from Zamora will continue to hide is a matter that he has been asked about on more than a hundred occasions: the date of his third trip around the world in 80 days“I think I’m going to rest a bit, sleep and hang out for a while. I’ll be back with my batteries charged and eager in a little while,” YoSoyPlex concludes, leaving all his fans as excited as they are nervous.