20.04.06 – Interview by Geoff McKay: Ivaylo Gotzev is a man that knows talent when he sees it. After spending time scouring the amateur ranks for up and coming fighters, he has found himself managing both Samuel Peter, and recent WBO titlist Sergei Lyakhovich (photo by Tom Casino). Recently, ESB sat down with Mr. Gotzev to discuss his plans for his prospects, and the state of the heavyweight division.
ESB: Hello Mr. Gotzev. The first question I am going to ask concerns Sergei Lyakhovich. Are we going to see an immediate rematch with Lamon Brewster?
IG: I’ll answer you this way. There is definitely an opportunity for a rematch, and Lamon gave us the opportunity so were not going to be greedy like everybody else in the game, we want to do what’s right for heavyweight boxing and boxing in general. The rematch will be granted under the right terms, financial terms. If I was in the other corner, and I was managing Brewster, I would have a really long sit down with him and think about it because he took a pounding.. It was a tough fight, it was a great fight, and boxing deserves it, but I mean maybe that’s not the immediate fight that they should be looking for, because, I mean, Lamon was great, he was a champions champion but he took a pounding so he needs some recovery time. At the same time Sergei is going to be resting for the next ten days. Sergei is going back in the gym two weeks from now.
ESB: Is Sergei looking at anybody in particular right now?
IG: Yeah, we are sitting on top, we are looking at the world, and tell you what, the networks had better be looking because, here we got the most exciting fight in the last ten, fifteen years behind us, all the questions were answered, who is he, what he’s done to deserve this, and you know what, sometimes things happen for a reason. The injuries in the past obviously didn’t hurt him, after sixteen months layoff, he came through as a true champion and he’s only going to get better. The fact that he shook of the rust and he came out fighting and feeling good, expect a bigger and better Sergei next time
ESB: Would you consider fighting the winner of Klitschko-Byrd?
IG: We’ll look at anybody that’s going to put on a good show, you know, we have heard enough of all these tournaments, proposed tournaments, want to be champions, you know phony champions. Enough is enough. Sergei single handedly sorted out a lot of the mess that’s in the division today by putting on a show, and giving boxing a shot in the arm, and he’s going to do it again and again and again. Then I’ve got Samuel Peter who’s ready to go so these networks are the ones that are going to be to blame for it now. The champions who are holding on to their dear titles that have done nothing to deserve to be back on the networks and are getting paid the kind of millions they are getting paid, now it’s time for the young guns to shine. You can’t keep them down, anymore, you know.
ESB: If you were given your choice for Sergei, Rahman, or the winner of Klitschko-Byrd, which one would you take?
IG: Me, as a manager, I like Rahman better for one reason, Rahman comes to fight, and Klitschko comes to hold, run, do whatever, everything in the book to survive. As far as I’m concerned, he don’t move me at all. We fought before, the world saw what happened, he went down three times, got up to win ugly, so he don’t make for good fights. Klitschko’s not made for good fights. He’s a greedy fighter, and I understand, he’s there to win you know, the name of the game is winning, but his way of winning is not pretty to watch as far as I’m concerned. Sergei showed how a champion wins, the way to take a belt away.
As far as Klitschko is concerned, I think the world just saw there is a more exciting Russian fighter out there and you know what, I wouldn’t worry about Klitschko period, you know. The Klitschko’s are always going to do what the Klitschko’s want to do. They always run there own way; there own direction, and it there way or the highway. You know what? Sergei rose to the occasion. He beat the hell out of a guy that actually took Klitschko out, so as far as I’m concerned we don’t need Klitschko.
The reason why I prefer Rahman is because he is a more willing fighter, and he is going to come to fight. He’s not going to come there and try to hold and survive and wrestle, he’s going to make it a real fight and that’s what boxing deserves. We’ve been under the spell of the networks and the heavyweights out there undeservedly, you know, that were there for a long long time. Now it’s time to move over, let the new sheriff come to town.
ESB: I admit that I would rather see Sergei fight Rahman than a Toney rematch.
IG: There should be a boycott on the network, and whoever is going to put that garbage back on because that you know, ok, Toney is a hall of famer, and that’s great, but what has he done for boxing lately, you know, coming in, testing positive for steroids, showing up grotesquely overweight, and you know, putting that on HBO, which is the most respected network. As far as I’m concerned, Showtime is beating HBO to the punch, and you know. They keep saying they are building boxing one round at a time, they should be saying one mismatch at a time, that should be there new slogan.
I’m upset, because you know what? We gave them what they wanted. We gave them what they wanted with Samuel Peter; they begged me to make that fight. They made so many promises; nothing was ever fulfilled, so put me on the record as saying that. They keep putting on recycled matches and recycled fighters that mean absolutely nothing. They will take boxing down in the gutter. Bring on the guys that deserve to be there, you know, and Sergei is willing and able to work against anybody, and we are working for more exciting matches, and Sergei’s the man. He’ll fight anybody out there, hands down. And if they have to sort out who is the better Russian fighter out there, him or Valuev, let them get it on, you know, that’s the easiest unification bout to make out there. We are willing to come to the dance, the question is, where is everybody else?
ESB: Where do you plan to go with Samuel now?
IG: Here is what we want to do. Sergei starts at one end of the division with the heavyweights, and Samuel starts at the other, and there going to start sweeping. Someday maybe they will meet in the middle and they will be the only two men standing. You never know what’s going to happen. Right now, there is a lot of mutual respect between the two. I am the manager of both; I’m not working to ever fight them ever, only if that became the only fight left in boxing. Maybe he’s the man that should fight Toney in a box off. I suggest this right away. That would be a more fair way for Toney to re-establish himself, and not just be re-awarded, undeservedly another shot at a title. Everybody knows that was no draw, the guy got beat down.
ESB: You’d be willing to make a deal to have Samuel fight Toney then?
IG: Absolutely. I love that fight. Once and for all we will see what Toney is made of. HBO, Showtime, they would be more than glad to put up the money for that fight. Where’s Toney, Where’s he hiding? We can sign that tomorrow.
ESB: So what message would you like to send to the Heavyweight division?
IG: The message is, stop pretending, stop complaining, show up to the dance, and let’s see who the man in the heavyweight division is.
ESB: Anything to say in closing Ivaylo?
IG: I just wanted to say that we love East Side boxing, we love the fans, we love the comments. I’m also there, I’m a big fan of your site and I love the comments. I always had a big smile on my face when they said, “who’s Sergei?”, “Who’s he to deserve this fight?” I knew from day one. I was so confident. I have never been so confident in a fighter in a preflight than this one. I was just smiling. Wait for April 1st. I couldn’t wait for that day to come, so now all you readers out there that read East Side Boxing, now you know who Sergei is, he answered all your questions.
ESB: Thank you Ivaylo.
Comments may be sent to: geoffmckay@monarch.net