Fight day has arrived! On April 6th, the world championship bout between AGON’s Jack Culcay (Photo © Torsten Helmke) and Bakhram Murtazaliev will take place in Falkensee, near Berlin. Watch the fight live on YouTube at 6 p.m. UK / 1 p.m. ET.
Up for grabs is the vacant IBF light middleweight belt, with Bakhram Murtazaliev stepping into the ring as the favorite. This marks the third world championship that promoter Ingo Volckmann has brought to Germany within a year.
The event is organized in cooperation between Kuc Boxing Promotion and AGON Sports. Jack Culcay finally gets his world championship opportunity, the most important fight of his career. Reason enough to conduct an interview with him:
Question: Jack, there are only a few hours left until your fight. How do you deal with the pressure, now just before the big world championship opportunity?
Jack Culcay: I don’t see it as pressure. I have been preparing for this for years and just want to enjoy it. I am always calm before a fight, can sleep well, and look forward to it. I have also boxed in America and was able to gain a lot of experience there, as the circumstances were quite different.
Question: You have worked very long for this title opportunity…
Jack Culcay: It was definitely not an easy time. The constant waiting, the mtune up fights with eight or ten rounds, that was tough. But in the end, it only motivated me more. And now that the opportunity is here, I am fully focused.
Question: During the waiting period, you were also active as a coach. Think you might step into those shoes a bit more, or was it just a bit of fun to pass the time?
Jack Culcay: Yes, definitely. I have always enjoyed passing on my knowledge. Whether as a coach in the corner or in teaching techniques – I’m good at it.
How does your family fit into the mix when you’re gearing up for a fight? Does it ever get a bit hectic juggling training with family time?
Jack Culcay: My family is super important to me. My wife takes care of everything during the hot training phase so I can fully concentrate on the preparation. It would be really weird without my kids. They give me strength and are my motivation.
Question: Jack, you hung up your meat-eating gloves a while back. Why?
Jack Culcay: Oh, it just feels good not to eat meat. A few years ago, I watched a documentary on Netflix that showed how unhealthy meat can be. I was particularly impressed by the story of a football team that switched to veganism and was then able to greatly improve their performance.
Question: And how long have you been vegan or vegetarian now?
Jack Culcay: We, my family and I, have been meat-free for almost three years now. Initially, we were completely vegan, but then we decided to live vegetarian. It’s sometimes exhausting, but definitely worth it. I really like it.
Question: How important is the relationship with your trainer and your promoter to you?
Jack Culcay: Very important. Having a good trainer like Franquis Aldama is crucial. You have to be able to trust him blindly. And with Ingo Volkmann, I’ve found not just a promoter, but also a friend. We get along great and are on the same page. I was AGON’s first boxer when it was founded, and I owe him a lot.
Question: The Cuban style, that is, being mobile, working hard, and being versatile, does that suit you?
Jack Culcay: Yes, I think so. I always boxed like that, even as an amateur boxer, and then I neglected it for a long time. With Franquis, I started to refresh that.
Question: You train in Mallorca during the preparation, just like most of the AGON team. What’s the relationship like among you boxers?
Jack Culcay: I’ve been a professional for longer and was first with Universum and then with Sauerland. With AGON, it’s something special. So, us guys get along great, we’re all connected like family. And Ingo is like a friend too, he does this with passion, and you can tell. He even trains with us sometimes, even spars with us.
Question: From April 2nd, you’ll be back in Berlin with the entire AGON team. How do you keep fit during Fight Week? What’s planned for the last few days?
Jack Culcay: We’ll definitely continue to train, right up until two days before the fight. In the end, it’s all about making weight and then everyone can do as they please. Franquis often says in the last week, ‘if you want to go for a run, go for it, if you want to do pad work, I’m here to hold them’ – so it’s up to the individual.
So, Jack, once the dust settles and the fight’s done, what’s on the horizon? Got any grand plans post-bout?
Jack Culcay: My goal is to win the title and then defend it, ideally on an international level. As long as I’m fit and motivated, I see myself still fighting even past 40.
Before we wrap up, what shoutout do you have for the folks cheering you on?
Jack Culcay: Come to the arena and support me! It’s going to be packed, but I’m looking forward to seeing each and every one of you. My family will be there too, which gives me extra strength. I’m ready to give it my all!
Murtazaliev vs. Culcay fight card
IBF World Championship Super Welterweight (vacant):
- Bakhram Murtazaliev (Chechnya): 69.6 kg | 153.4 lbs
- Jack Culcay (Germany): 69.7 kg | 153.6 lbs
IBF International Middleweight:
- Ismael Seck (France): 72.5 kg | 159.8 lbs
- Etinosa Oliha (Italy): 72.1 kg | 158.9 lbs
Middleweight:
- Omir Rodriguez (Panama): 70.9 kg | 156.3 lbs
- Edin Avdic (Austria): 72.3 kg | 159.4 lbs
IBF Inter-Continental Super Welterweight:
- Uisma Lima (Portugal): 68.8 kg | 151.7 lbs
- Haro Matevosyan (Germany): 69.2 kg | 152.6 lbs
Welterweight:
- Yeison Gonzalez (Venezuela): 66.5 kg | 146.6 lbs
- Viktor Cakiqi (Germany): 66.6 kg | 146.8 lbs
Super Welterweight:
- Simone Bono (Italy): 69.5 kg | 153.2 lbs
- Paul Wall (Germany): 69.7 kg | 153.6 lbs