27.08.05 – By Ike Enwereuzor: Former Olympian and former IBF Intercontinental junior middleweight champion, Evans Oure Ashira with a professional record of (24-1, 13 KO’s), was born in Lumumba, Nairobi Kenya and lived there until he was three. He then he moved to Mombasa. As an amateur, “The African Warrior” Evans won the African games in Zimbabwe, 1995. That same year, he was the Kenyan team captain to the Kings Cup in Thailand.
In 1996, Ashira’s dreams came true as he arrived in Atlanta, Ga to represent his country, Kenya in the Olympics, every amateur boxer’s dream. Unfortunately, Evans lost in his first outing, but learned from it and went back home to prepare for the Commonwealth Championship held in Mabato, South Africa. He ended up winning a Gold medal at the tournament.
Evans made his professional debut March 1998, in Denmark. He kept his unbeaten record until last year May 2004, in Florida when he attempted to win the WBA middleweight world championship. He was stopped in round 2 by Maselino Masoe. On April
30, 2005, the former IBF Intercontinental champion had a tough but successful come back at Madison Square Garden, New York when he won a 10 round unanimous decision over Quentin Smith.
Evans also won several other titles, such as WBA International middleweight belt and the IBA middleweight title. On September 10, the former IBF Intercontinential junior middleweight champion Ashira will make his second attempt for a world championship when challenges longtime WBO Super Middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in Wales. Here’s what the former champion had to say…….
Ike: How is training coming along as you get ready to face undefeated WBO Super Middleweight Champ Joe Calzaghe, Sept 10 in Wales?
Ashira: My training is going well and everything is under control.
Ike: What’s you’re impression of Calzaghe?
Ashira: He is a good boxer, been at the top for long but nothing lasts for ever.
Ike: Calzaghe is considering you as a tune up fight. What’s your reaction to that?
Ashira: Everyone has a right to their opinion, but the fact is, when the bell rings, the opinion time is on hold, no matter what it is.
Ike: How would you rate your performance in your last fight with Quentin Smith April 2005 at Madison Square Garden, New York?
Ashira: My perfomance against Smith, I would consider a B-, but I had been out of the ring for the whole year and had a lot of rust, otherwise I could have done much better than that.
Ike: What did you learn from your fight with Maselino Masoe for the WBA middleweight championship?
Ashira: Right now, I’m not even thinking about what I learned or didn’t learn from that fight. My head is on Joe Calzaghe, September 10th, that is it.
Ike: Mosoe hasn’t fought since he defeated you to capture the vacant WBA middleweight title and his people are looking for opponent for him. Have you thought of meeting him again?
Ashira: The rest of things will come later after the September 10th. All my head is on that date, and I’m not worried about nothing else. My focus is on Joe Calzaghe, Sept 10.
Ike: What do you remember most from your fight with Jerry Elliott, in Germany?
Ashira: What happened is, I wanted to make a statement that home ground doesn’t scare me. I’m willing to fight you in your background, and still beat your backside down. I’m going to Joe Calzaghe’s hometown to fight him and I did it before. That is history. Now, September 10, is the bottom line, right now.
Ike: You’re ranked in top ten in two or three major boxing organizations. Do you intend to stay at super middleweight after your fight with Calzaghe?
Ashira: I dont know yet if I want stay there for the moment, but we’ll see after the fight what my options are.
Let’s take care of business on Sept 10, first.
Ike: What would you like to tell your fans out there?
Ashira: Thanks for all your support. September 10th, “The African Warrior” is good to go. The fans should tune in, too. Please, visit Ashira’s website at: www.ashiraoure.com
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