Boxing Interviews

The latest boxing interviews from boxers all over the world

James DeGale: “I’m in it to win it!”

degale213Exclusive interview by Dan Emicus

How did you get into boxing initially?

I was a bit boisterous and naughty at school, so my Grandad suggested to my Dad that I do a bit of boxing to release some excess energy. I was 9 when I started and loved it from the beginning. Initially all I wanted to do was spar and I didn’t like the fitness side of it, but once I started having fights, I realised how important the fitness was.

You won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Was that the point where you and everyone around you believed that you could go on and win a medal at the Olympic Games?

It was actually a disappointment to get bronze at the Commonwealth Games as I was expected to come back with Gold, and to top it all I didn’t even win a medal at the World Championships! The experience and the buzz I got at the big competitions did however make me more determined to work hard and earn a place at the Olympics.

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Exclusive interview with Sakio Bika

bika33by Dan Emicus:

How did you get into boxing?

I started boxing when I was 13 years old. I hurt my knee when I was playing soccer and swapped over to boxing. I went to a boxing Academy in Cameroon and the winners were getting prizes. I started winning, I started getting prizes and haven’t stopped since!

You were born in Cameroon, yet relocated to Australia by the time you embarked on your professional career. Was this due to boxing not being as popular in Cameroon, or is there more to it than that?

Boxing is popular in Cameroon, but only in the amateur system. Not professional boxing. The Government looks after the amateur program very well. From equipment and money to spend, through to the prizes I mentioned. When it’s time to turn professional there is nothing though, no opportunities.

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Interview with Patrick Day: “I am enjoying flying under the radar for as long as it lasts”

By Dan Emicus:

How did you get into boxing?

I got in to boxing out of the curiosity I had for the science of the sport (the difference between boxing and street-fighting). Watching the golden gloves in my town sparked an interest and living across the street from my trainer, Joe Higgins, led me to act on it.

Any boxing idols from the past?

My biggest boxing idol from the past that I both admire and look up to is Sugar Ray Leonard. Our fighting styles are similar and I feel that he was the best of his time.

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Exclusive interview with Peter Fury

Exclusive interview with Peter Fury by Dan Emicus

When Tyson first came to you, his conditioning was sub-par and he was more a good fighter, as opposed to a good boxer. 18 months later and his conditioning has improved dramatically, he’s professional in his approach to fights, has solid boxing fundamentals, and has progressed leaps and bounds technically. How happy are you with his progress and do you expect a similar rate of progress between now and in another 18 months?

I’m delighted with his development and have put in endless hours every day over the last 12 months in particular. Every single area is painstakingly gone through. He is constantly improving technically, as well as in terms of conditioning, and come April we will see another level in Tyson again.

How did you rate Tyson’s performance last time out against Kevin Johnson? On the Channel 5 coverage, you were heard advising Tyson to stick to the gameplan and not allow the crowd to influence his boxing, so were you concerned at that point that Tyson might lose focus and try too hard to ‘entertain’ the crowd with a grandstand finish?

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Exclusive interview with Quatavious Cash

Exclusive interview by Dan Emicus with Quatavious Cash [6-0, 4 KOs]

When did you know that boxing was your calling?

I knew boxing was my calling when I was six years old. I was forced to fight everyday and I was good. So I always knew I was going to become a fighter, even though I didn’t get the opportunity until I was 14 or 15. That’s when I stopped everything and gave all my focus to boxing.

How did you fare in the amateurs?

I was too small for 165 and too big for 152, so I never reached my full potential as an amateur.

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Exclusive Interview with super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson

Exclusive Interview with super middleweight contender Adonis Stevenson

“I stopped Bute with 20 ounce gloves in sparring. I stopped him in like the third round, so when Bute fought Carl Froch I knew he was going to get hit because Carl Froch has a good style.”—Adonis Stevenson

Exclusive Interview by Geoffrey Ciani – I was recently afforded the opportunity to speak with #1 ranked IBF super middleweight mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson (19-1, 16 KOs). Stevenson is looking forward to the chance to fight for the title after the dust settles in the upcoming rematch between reigning IBF champion Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch and current WBA title holder Mikkel Kessler. Stevenson shared his views on that match-up, and also discussed his plans while he waits for his opportunity. Additionally Stevenson also talked about his twelfth round stoppage victory against Donovan George, his opinion on 168 pound king Andre Ward, and the sad and untimely passing of his Hall of Fame trainer, Emanuel Steward. Here is what Stevenson had to say.

Audio:

GEOFFREY CIANI: Hello boxing fans. This is Geoff Ciani from East Side Boxing and I am joined by super middleweight contender, Adonis Stevenson. How’s everything going today, Adonis?

ADONIS STEVENSON: Very, very good. Very good, everything’s good.

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Interview with “Awesome” Aaron Williams

williams464464Exclusive interview by Dan Emicus

What was it like to work with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad?

Working with Eddie was great. We had such great team chemistry and I learned so much from him. For me, he is one the top five best boxing trainers of today. I wish him nothing but the best.

You took some time out, but that has somehow turned into 2 years! What’s the reason for this?

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Manuel Charr talks Klitschko, Wilder, Saglam and more!

HayeCharrExclusive interview by Dan Emicus

Having pursued kickboxing initially, what made you to want to switch to boxing?

“I started kickboxing because I liked combat sports. But I didn’t do it for a long time because it felt so easy to reach all my goals. I became German Champion and European Champion. There was no real hard competition. It didn’t feel like a big challenge to me. But I like challenges. I thought that in boxing it’s harder to get to the top. You can’t become European Champion in two years in boxing. And of course, it’s nearly impossible to make a living out of kickboxing while the best boxers in the world make good money. So that definitely contributed to the decision, too.”

From amateur kickboxing straight into professional boxing, how did you find the transition between two different combat sports? Most boxers with an ex-kickboxing background find it difficult to un-learn certain habits, such as engaging their opponents squarely, but you’ve never seemed to have such issues?

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Bryan Vera: “I want Gennady Golovkin on March 30th after I’m victorious on FNF”

vera2By Joseph Herron – After WBA Middleweight Champion Gennady Golovkin’s methodical and impressive seven round destruction of customary Junior Middleweight contender Gabriel Rosado on January 19th, the Kazakhstani’s promoter, Tom Loeffler and K2, issued a statement announcing that the stone-fisted title holder would follow up his TKO performance on March 30, 2013.

While a challenger for the upcoming event has not yet been determined, perennial Middleweight contender and Texas native Bryan Vera (21-6, 12 KOs) has declared a genuine interest in facing the most avoided fighter in the packed 160 pound weight class.

“That’s the fight we originally wanted,” claims the 31 year old fighter. “We were being considered for the January 19th slot but ultimately didn’t land the fight. Team Golovkin and HBO decided to go with Gabriel Rosado instead. But we’re still hopeful that a championship opportunity against Gennady will happen in the near future. I would really love that fight.”

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Mark de Mori: “I wanted to focus on weight training and build my body into a heavyweight wrecking machine.”

sky-tower-boxing-b-10By Dan Emicus

Having previously been an Australian football player, what made you want to switch to boxing?

I really enjoyed Australian rules football and it is the most popular sport by far in Australia, so I was surrounded with it. However, when I first saw some tapes of Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, I became obsessed with boxing. While I was a natural at most sports, boxing was not something that came easily, but I was determined to do it.


It’s been said that you idolised Mike Tyson. Was it the explosive KOs, or did you also come to admire him stylistically?

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