WBA World Light-Welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik has revealed his secret weapon in his fight against Amir Khan – spinach. But the Ukraine’s answer to Popeye says it’s not any old spinach, but prize-winning bunches of the superfood shipped in from a secret destination in his home country to his German training base. The 31-year-old tackles Khan in the third defence of his title at London’s O2 Arena on June 27. And he insists that tucking into the iron-rich nutrient three times a day has left him in the best shape of his life..
“I came to England for a press conference last week, and missed out on spinach for lunch, and I could feel my energy levels dropping,” said Kotelnik.
“Fortunately I had a double portion when I got back to Hamburg and I felt better than ever.
“I’ve been munching on spinach since I began boxing when I was six years old.
“My first boxing trainer told me that it would turn me into the heavyweight champion of the world.
‘Unfortunately it didn’t make me grow that big, but it will make me far too strong for Amir Khan’s powder-puff punches.
“People call me Popeye back home – but if they met Amir, they’d compare him to Olive Oyl!
“I have spinach with my porridge in the morning, a big bowl with my lunch and then spinach with my steak in the evening.
“And it all comes from a family-run farm in my home city of Lviv which has been cleaning up at regional agriculture shows for years.
“They use a special fertiliser that helps make the spinach extra big, and I believe it also supplies heavyweight world champions Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.”
Tyson Fury a Knockout with the media
Unbeaten heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury continues the build up to his seventh pro fight by joining Steve Bunce on his Boxing Hour today (Thursday) on Setanta Sports News.
The show kicks off at 2pm and Fury will discuss his phenomenal rise through the heavyweight ranks since turning professional last December and look ahead to his next outing at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan on Saturday week (June 13th)
It’s all part of a busy week of media activities for the 6 foot 9 inch 20-year-old sensation from Manchester who was a guest on 5 Live Boxing on BBC Radio 5 earlier this week and he’s also the subject of an in depth feature in this Saturday’s Daily Express.
“The media attention comes with the territory,” said Fury. “If people are looking to talk to me then I must be doing something right. People say I talk a good game but you have to be confident in this business and I’m happy to step in the ring and back up everything I say.”
Fury’s is fresh from a second round KO of fellow heavyweight giant and touted prospect, Scott Belshaw in Watford on May 23rd which ensured he kept his perfect KO ratio intact having stopped all 6 of his professional opponents to date.
Fury’s next outing will be as the chief support to the John Murray – Scott Lawton British Lightweight title fight at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan on Saturday, June 13th.
The Hennessy Sports event will be live on ITV4 and joining Fury on the undercard will be his cousin Phill and the return of Lightweight contender Nadeem Siddique. Hot Featherweight prospect Steve “Super Bad” Barnes also features alongside the pro debut of Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward – the last Englishman to defeat Amir Khan, while exciting Canadian puncher Andrew Singh Kooner makes a welcome return to a British ring.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
BIG MAC HITS THE BIG SCREEN
Former WBO World Cruiserweight champion is set to star on the silver screen – but says he’ll trump his acting debut with a dramatic KO win over Denis Lebedev.
And he reckons his road back to the top is going to be so exciting, one day people will be making a movie about him.
The big Welshman is back in action on June 27 at London’s O2 Arena, tackling Russian prospect Lebedev for the WBO Intercontinental cruiserweight crown.
Promoter Frank Warren – who is responsible for the careers of both boxers – is confident of handing the winner a world title opportunity.
Maccarinelli is looking to get his career back on track following a shock loss in March, and after a miserable 12 months says his fortunes are now looking up.
He’s been helped by landing a role in a forthcoming biopic about Welsh legend Howard Winstone.
Big Macc will play former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Eddie Avoth in “Risen”, which will have its premier in Wales next year.
And he’ll be joined on screen by other boxing stars including Alan Minter and Steve Robinson, as well as Avoth, who also has a part in the film.
“It was great fun filming, and I heard some fantastic stories about some of the characters involved in the sport back in the 1950s and 1960s,” said Maccarinelli.
“It was an honour to be playing Eddie, and I wouldn’t mind giving acting a bash when I retire from boxing. But that day is a long time away.
“I’ve had a miserable 12 months, losing to David Haye and then Ola Afolabi, but I’m determined to get back on track.
“It was good to spend a bit of time away from the gym because it gave me my hunger back.
“Lebedev is a very, very tough fight, but if I win it then I’ll have a great chance to get back to the top.
“It’s even more dangerous than the Haye fight because if I lost against David, then there was always a way back.
“If I lose against Lebedev then it’s going to be that much tougher to make it to the top.
“You can never say never in boxing, but I’m aware that I could be in the last chance saloon going into this one.
“But I’m going to knock out Lebedev and then I’m going to get my old world title back.
“Rocky is the most famous boxing film in history, but my story is going to be even more dramatic over the next six months.”