- Judging by the tired voice, this defense turned out to be more difficult than the previous one, when your opponent, Owen Beck, was counted as a technical knockout defeat in the third round?- Fatigue is huge. She happens after each fight, at least one round spent at least ten. As for this fight and my opponent Barrett, I will not say that he is a boxer with a super talent. But the guy was, as they say, a real man. The fight could end in my favor even much earlier than the eleventh round, when I hit the American well several times. And in his "drunk" eyes he saw that Barrett, if not in a knockout, then in a knockdown for sure. But he did not think to fall. And later, at the end of the battle, he fell and got up. Moreover, in the end of the fight, he climbed into the clinch in response to any of my actions, and it was difficult to get in well.
I had to tinker with this zinger.
- It was very interesting to listen to the monologues of your coach Manvel Gabrielyan during the breaks. For example: “Where are your hands, champion, where are your punches? Forgot at home? ”How do you react to such matches?
- Manvel Oganesovich is a very experienced coach. He always knows what to say so as not to leave me indifferent. Of course, we agreed on the tactics for this fight, from which I practically did not leave, and he saw it. Just after the sixth round, when the boxer is already beginning to gradually lose his sense of reality, you need words that can make him sober up. And my coach with his experience, wisdom and, of course, sense of humor finds them.
“Before the decisive eleventh round, Gabrielian told you:“ If you don’t hit him now, I don’t know what to do with you. ” What terrible punishment could be waiting for you, if you had finished the fight in your favor in the next round?- Ha, I don’t know. While I always obeyed the trainer, and he did not have to put his threats into action.
- This was your first and, apparently, not the last fight in America. How did the local audience take you?
- It seemed that the Americans are very welcoming and friendly towards me. At least, smiles on the faces of fans met more than indifference, fear or anger.
- But, when you were declared the winner of the last battle, there was still a whistle in the hall ...
- It `s naturally. No matter how they treat me, the Americans were rooting for their boyfriend, and their reaction to his defeat could not be different.
- You have repeatedly stated that the main goal of your career is to see unification fights with world champions in other versions. How soon will this battle take place?
“It's hard for me to answer now.” Firstly, the last few months my team was only engaged in a fight with Barrett. Almost did not look further. And secondly, the opinion of a boxer when choosing his next opponent, if they ask, is the last thing. They often confront the fact: now you are fighting with something. And this is standard practice: a boxer fights, his team deals with all organizational issues.
- But who of the three Klitschko, Maskaev, Lyakhovich would be more interesting for you to meet in the ring?
- All these guys are very good boxers, honored champions. But the fight with Vladimir Klitschko, of course, could become a real decoration of our careers. It would arouse tremendous interest throughout the world, not only in the countries of the former USSR.
Andrey IVANTSOV