From Speed to Style: Highlights from the World’s First Boxing Reflex Ball Freestyle Challenge

Published: September 22, 2026

 

TekXYZ hosted the world’s first Boxing Reflex Ball Freestyle Challenge on the TekXYZ App from December 6 to 31, 2025. 

Unlike hit-count and timed reflex-ball challenges, such as those run by Boxbollen, the TekXYZ event was built around freestyle, giving participants the freedom to create their own movements and performance styles. Entries were ranked by the community engagement they generated on the app.

The challenge received 88 videos from more than 11 countries and produced a striking variety of distinctive freestyle performances. Chile’s Bamjalao finished first with the highest engagement score and won the $2,000 grand prize. 

Taken together, the performances showed that reflex-ball play can be more than a test of speed and power—it can also be a platform for creativity, individuality, and personal expression.

 

Winners

The top three winners showed three noticeably different approaches to reflex-ball freestyle.

1st — Bamjalao

Chile | Score: 790 | Prize: $2,000

Style: Bamjalao delivered one of the most complete performances in the competition, combining rapid combinations, powerful striking, controlled pauses and catches, and confident head control. He also played directly to the camera, at one point sending the ball toward the lens and turning the moment into part of the performance. With his sharp combinations, physical presence, and sense of timing, the routine felt less like a simple reflex-ball drill and more like a boxer performing in the ring.

Bamjalao with his $2,000 first-place prize check

Bamjalao’s winning freestyle performance

2nd — Makura  

Austria | Score: 584 | Prize: $1,000

Style: Makura’s performance had an almost dance-like quality, built around light footwork, jumping movements, relaxed transitions, and a strong sense of rhythm. The spacious, carefully designed setting added to the effect, giving the already highly watchable routine more room to breathe and making the whole performance feel more polished and theatrical.

Makura with his $1,000 second-place prize check

Makura’s second-place freestyle performance

3rd — maxthegreat

Puerto Rico | Score: 539 | Prize: $500

Style: maxthegreat‘’s performance was especially striking for his age, combining solid boxing technique, fluid changes of direction, and controlled combinations.

maxthegreat with his $500 third-place prize check

maxthegreat’s third-place freestyle performance

For videos of the 4th–10th place winners, visit @tekxyz on YouTube.

 

Beyond the Rankings

How Freestyle Brought New Styles to Reflex-Ball Play

The challenge showed something that speed-based competition alone does not reveal very well: once players were given more freedom, very different kinds of performance began to appear. Speed and boxing technique were still important, but they were no longer the only ways to stand out.

Some of the most interesting styles were also unexpected. Makura made reflex-ball play look almost dance-like, while Joe. reflex mixed hand striking with soccer-style kicks and ground rebounds. Other players used head control, pauses, catches, and unusual transitions. These performances showed that freestyle could turn the reflex ball from a simple speed challenge into something much more open-ended.

 

Across Countries, Ages, and Skill Levels

The challenge brought together participants from a wide range of backgrounds. Videos came from at least 11 countries and regions, including the United States, Chile, Austria, Puerto Rico, Guinea, the United Kingdom, China, Canada, France, Lithuania, and Spain. Because many participants did not provide nationality information, the actual geographic spread was likely broader.

Participants also represented different age groups and levels of experience. Children and teenagers took part alongside adults and older players, while experienced reflex-ball creators such as @bamjalao and @makura competed alongside many beginners. This variety was also visible in the performances themselves. Some newer players could be seen imitating movements and techniques used by more experienced participants, showing how styles and ideas spread from one player to another during the event.

Overall, the event attracted participants across different countries, age groups, and experience levels, showing that freestyle participation was not confined to one particular type of player.

Community Engagement and Peer Learning

The event was not just a showcase, but also a space for community interaction and experience sharing. In less than a month, the 88 entries received 1,575 likes, 795 comments, and 340 saves. Many comments were simple praise and encouragement, but some threads developed into more practical discussions about freestyle technique, practice, and equipment. 

Community members asked experienced participants how long they had trained, discussed particular moves and combinations, advised beginners on which ball to start with, and even exchanged experiences with customized reflex-ball setups and their potential risks. In several cases, more experienced users also offered tips and guidance to newer players. 

These exchanges show that the competition generated not only attention around the performances, but also some peer-to-peer learning within the community.

 

Conclusion

The first Freestyle Challenge opened the door to a new combination of boxing reflex ball, creativity, and imagination. As freestyle continues to develop, future events may reveal even more ways for players to explore, perform, and redefine what boxing reflex ball can look like.