Ïðîìîóòåðñêàÿ êîìïàíèÿ "Elite-boxing"

Zaurbek Baysangurov vs Eromosele Albert © Inna Gorobchenko

by Dmitriy Mikhalchuk


Today, August 15th a large boxing tournament will be held in «Dynamo» Palace of Sports, Grozny, Russian Federation. This fight card will be the first major boxing event in the history of the Chechen Republic.

In the main event Chechen fighter Zaurbek Baysangurov (21-1, 16 KOs) will be defending his WBA Inter-Continental light middleweight belt in the clash against famous Nigerian boxer Eromosele Albert (22-2-1, 10 KOs). On the eve of the great battle we offer your attention interview with Zaur Baysangurov.

- For the first time in your boxing career you will step into the ring in Chechnya, your native country. What do you feel now?
- It cannot be compared to any other country – the USA, Germany, Ukraine or Russia. It cannot be compared to anything. I’ll be boxing for my fans. Of course, I’m a bit nervous, but my fighting mood is very high. But it is OK: when I’m nervous I box successfully but when I’m not – sometimes things do not go quite smoothly. On the one hand it is a real pleasure to box in my native land for my devoted fans, but from the other hand – it is great responsibility. I worry about my performance in the ring because my relatives and friends will be watching and also government ministers and president himself will come to see the fight too. In any case I cannot let them down.

- There are two kinds of boxers. Some of them feel much better when they box on their home turf with fans’ support but there are others – who fight much better when they box far from their native places. What do you think – to which type will you reckon you among?
- When I fight, for example, in Germany or Ukraine it is much easier for me. I tell you once again – I am very happy to fight in my native land for my fans, however, here I am much more nervous than usual. But this is good: it infuses more courage into me.

- I think there is a lot of interest toward you before this fight and in Chechnya, your native country this interest is much stronger – don’t your fans draw your attention away from training?
- Well, I am not such a great star that gathers crowds of gapeseeds. Of course, many people know me, worry about me; they constantly ask me about the fight etc. Sometimes I even have to switch off my telephone in order to prepare and concentrate on my training. I have to limit my personal contacts before the fight otherwise it would be difficult to get ready for the clash.

- So, Zaur, what do you know about Eromosele Albert? Do you know his style, have you seen his fights?
- Eromosele Albert is a good fighter. He is strong, he likes to attack and he throws a lot of punches. I would not call him a puncher but instead of one stunning punch he gets the same result with great number of lighter punches thrown. He is able to press within the distance of 12 rounds with good speed.

- Will you feel comfortable fighting him?
- I can say that it will be the first time for me to clash against a fighter of such a style. Although in 2005 I fought against a boxer of similar style. At that time in Germany I defended my IBF Youth light middleweight belt against a fighter from Africa who fought in a similar manner. But then I was rather young and now I am much more experienced boxer. However, Eromosele Albert is much stronger that that fighter, so it is possible to say that today will be my first fight against a boxer of such a style.

- Can you tell us in short about your training for this fight?
- I completely fulfilled what we planned; I am 100% ready and in great shape. I trained for two months. At first I had three weeks of physical training then sparrings began. I studied videos of my rival’s fights – I saw three of his fights. I sparred for one week and a half with an American boxer Carson Jones. He is a professional and in his 22 years of age was in about 30 pro fights. He sparred with many famous boxers like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Allan Green and others.

- Did Carson Jones try to imitate Albert’s style? How did he succeed in that?
- No, he did not have to do that – he boxed in his usual manner. The only requirement to him was to box as if in actual fight in order that I felt real opposition.

- Did you feel any difference while sparring with Carson Jones in comparison to sparring partners from Ukraine and Russia? How useful for you were sparrings against him?
- I cannot say that he showed something special which I had not seen before. But he has the style which most of black fighters have – he is a flexible and evasive boxer. It was very useful, of course, to spar with him while preparing for the Eromosele Albert fight.