- Since two years ago you headed the Russian team, it is second time behind the Cubans in the team event: now, at the World Cup, and a year ago - at the world championship. And you call victory over this opponent your main goal ...
- If we hadn’t set it, no one would seriously hope to compete with the Cubans in the team event. In personal, we used to have victories over Latinos, but as a team we only began to squeeze them in recent years. Remember, last year at the same World Cup in Moscow they just won the final - 7: 4. At last year’s world championship, they lost, but with dignity. And I do not even consider the current defeat as one point a loss. Have you seen our staff here in Baku? There was no Tishchenko, Hayrapetyan, Romanchuk. And the Cubans have four Olympic champions. Therefore, I am satisfied with the result. And not even the result, but the mood of the guys. After all, before them, before going to the Cubans, sometimes in their eyes there was nothing but fear.
- What is left to beat the Cubans to win? In technology, tactics, talent? ..
- Our guys have all this. Some of them are unaware of this. But I somehow see that today we are not inferior to anyone in these qualities. Cuban boxers simply make their way to the champions, first of all, in spirit. Boxing for Cuban children is like football for Brazilian ones: if you were born in a dysfunctional family, and there are eighty percent of them, the only way not to starve yourself and save loved ones from poverty is boxing. And the boys there sacrifice everything for the sake of getting into the team and a trip to the Olympics. And we need the right approach to such rivals. With someone - more courage, with another - composure. It will come with experience. And the more we meet with them before the Olympics, albeit not always successfully, the better we will perform in Beijing.
- The idea of the right mood is clear. But how do you achieve this, what exactly are you saying?
- Our famous boxer Igor Vysotsky arrived in Baku, the only one who twice won the great Cuban heavyweight, three-time Olympic champion Teofilo Stevenson. We went into the locker room with him before the finals and said simply, like a man: “Do not bz ... those! Well, do not be afraid, boys! They are just like you, made of flesh and blood. ” And it worked! Injured Timurziev in a fight with Olympic champion Odlanier Solis twice visited the floor, but still fought like an obsessed, until our doctors from sin stopped the fight. Albert Selimov on the eve of the final was seriously injured, but entered the ring, and did not give up the victory without a fight. And there are still examples when the guys missed the strongest blows, after which, it seemed, it was necessary to take the stretcher into the ring. And they gritted their teeth, got up and continued the fight. I thanked them for that. And in a year, in Moscow, we will tighten up the equipment and uniform for the upcoming World Cup, so it will not seem enough.
- Following the results of this tournament, the main team can change?
- Crucially - no. The participants of the world championship, where Olympic licenses will be played, will be determined by the results of the Russian championship and pre-season training camps. Some young guys in Baku showed themselves very well. I will continue to look closely at them. But do not forget that we also have veterans who have not yet said everything. Eugene Makarenko, Sasha Maletin, who almost completely missed this season due to injuries, are gaining shape and, if they look better than competitors, can again become the first numbers.
- In early November, the team will have a retreat in Cuba along with the local boxers. What do you expect from him?
- I want to show the guys Cuban boxing cuisine. So that in the future, when they enter the ring, they understand how the enemy prepared, and perceive him to be more earthly, or something, not to exalt. After all, rumors are still circulating that Cuban collections are practicing almost on holey bags. And in terms of the number of gold medals at the last World Championships and the Olympic Games, they, however, were not equal.
Andrey IVANTSOV