IBO Boxing Honesty and Integrity
Status: Former World Heavyweight champion. DOB: March 25, 1976 In: Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan (is of Ukrainian descent)
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 241
Childhood Heroes: “I had very many heroes. Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Muhammad Ali, my brother (Vitali). All the best boxers, so many people. ”
Nickname: Dr. Steelhammer. Hobbies/Interests: “Kite surfing is my passion. Computer, surfing the Internet. I like to wakeboard, snowboard … it’s so fun. I have a helicopter pilot’s license. Play soccer and golf. Work with UNESCO program ‘Education for Children In Need. ‘”
Childhood Dream: “I dreamed about everything as a boy … military man, doctor, spaceman. But not boxing. ”
Early Boxing Memory: “We drove away to a tournament in Kazakhstan (age 14). About forty boxers were there. I wait for my first fight. I wait, wait. I wonder, what happened? Where’s my opponent? (Tournament official) says, ‘You win. You don’t have an opponent. Only you here in heavyweight division. ’ My first championship and I don’t have an opponent [smiles]. After that, my first amateur fight, I lost (on points). And after my first fight, I win everything that I can. ”
Favorite Meal: “I like desserts. Every kind of dessert [smiles]. I like good food … Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French. ”
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Not cereal but cottage cheese and strawberries. ”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Vanilla. ”
Funny Boxing Memory: “In Germany, we have two round card girls per fight. Before one of my fights, one of the round card girls started talking to me … ‘I love you, I’m really a big fan. ’ A beautiful girl. But she was a little bit too forward. And she said, ‘I will give you the keys to my house when I come into the ring between rounds. ’ I thought she was joking. But I was scared she would really do it. But I scored a knockout in round one and I never saw her again [smiles]. ”
Pre-Fight Feeling: “Concentrating and calming down. Caaalm. I think about my fight. And the very many people looking at my fight. I’ve been waiting for this moment. And I know only one can leave the ring as the champion. And I want to be the champion. ”
Favorite Boxers To Watch: “All boxers. From every boxer, one can take the best from him. Having the best style needs the best styles to learn from. ”
Favorite Fights: “My brother and (Lennox) Lewis. Those classic fights from Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Also the fight Thomas Hearns with Sugar Ray Leonard. There is many exciting fights, it’s difficult to say. I think I will be wrong if I mention some of the fights and some I will forget. ”
Greatest Career Moment: “Olympic Games (won gold medal in ’96 in Atlanta). ”
Most Painful Moment: “My fight with Brewster (loss by TKO 5 in 2004). ”
Favorite Movies: “Midnight Express. I like action movies … The Matrix. The Mummy. Titanic is not so bad. Rocky‘s really interesting. The Terminator. The Running Man. ”
Musical Tastes: “Classical, Mozart, Beethoven, jazz, pop, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tina Turner. ”
Favorite Athletes To Watch: “Difficult question. A part of Ali, a part of Holyfield, a part of Tyson. (Formula 1 racer) Michael Schumacher. . Roger Federer — I know him personally. He’s a very down-to-earth guy. I love to watch tennis. (Do you play tennis?) When I tried to play with friends I had no talent, no talent at all. Ping-pong is my sport [smiles]. ”
First Job: “I was a school teacher and I taught biology and physical culture. But I have too much work in boxing now. ”
Embarrassing Boxing Memory: “Everything done in boxing life I don’t think it’s so embarrassing, it’s just getting experience and this experience you can not buy in the shop. You have to gain it with your own skin and your own body, with your own mind and through time. And that’s why it’s impossible to say that something was embarrassing. It’s just everything about different experiences which people are making and they have to learn from those experiences. And they have to get better. ”
People Qualities Most Admired: “People who have good character, strong character. A will. And a wish. ”
Interview and artwork by Scoop Malinowski.
