22.04.05 – By Tony Nobbs: Popular Australian heavyweight ‘Big’ Bob Mirovic was on the Gold Coast on Wednesday as the build up to his June 24 WBF title fight with Missouri’s Rob Calloway begins. Eastside spoke to Mirovic while he was driving around town with promoter Jamie Myer.
“I’m raring to go June 24. I’m taking this fight very seriously. I don’t know much about Calloway except for his record. I’m expecting to see some tapes shortly. People can say what they like about this fight but it is still a championship. I proved in my last fight that I am getting better and I should be wearing the IBF Intercontinental belt. My first trainer Cec Waters told me when I started boxing ‘Bob, you won’t reach your peak until you’re in your late 30’s-early 40’s’ and I truly believe that now. You wont see my best for another two years” said the 39 year old NSW Central Coast based fighter.
“In my last fight, I had three weeks notice. Timo Hoffmann was 31-3-1, 18 knockouts going in. He went twelve rounds with Vitali Klitchko (and in his previous bout drew with the highly ranked Luan Krasniqi) but I had him gone in round four. If I could have that fight again, I’d finish him in the fourth. After the fight, some of the crowd came up to me saying ‘Mr Mirovic, on behalf of the German people we apologise’. Did you see how the crowd reacted when the decision was announced? They booed their own fighter!
It hurts knowing I should be Intercontinental champion with the IBF but I’m going to use that experience as motivation to fuel the rage in my future fights. For this fight I’m aiming to come in at around 115 kg, maybe a little lighter. I want to be like a V8 and come out firing.”
Mirovic backed up claims in the Australian press that he was considered too dangerous an opponent for Mike Tyson’s opponent in June. “I was originally supposed to fight Tyson but from what I understand his people saw the tape of the Hoffmann fight and told (Tyson trainer) Jeff Fenech that I would be too tough, too hard for Mike first up. They had big wraps on Hoffmann.
They know that Tyson has to win his next fight and I’ve been told I will fight him later in the year depending of course how he performs against McBride. I could easily put my WBF title against Tyson. A lot depends on this fight with Rob Calloway!”
On Tuesday, Mirovic’s hard working trainer Angelo Hyder told Eastside that he was confident his charge would overcome Calloway. “You said your self Bob’s like fine wine. He’s getting better with age. The way he is going he should be too strong. We are getting tapes in the next day or so and I will watch them and train Bob accordingly”.
Promoter Myer also informed that Calloway will fight Willie Chapman in Utah on May 14.