https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inxnT5iHU5A
Will there be a fight with Nicholas Walters?
Yes the negotiations of the fight are going on right now, and it should happen sometime in October or November.
What about the fight against Rigondeaux. Is it possibility or just rumors?
Currently we are in different weight classes. I offered him to move up and fight in my weight class, but he wanted to fight at a catch-weight. I'm only interested at fighting at an official weight class.
What kind of hobbies do you have? Do you collect anything?
Hockey, basketball, hunting, and fishing.
Does the loss to Salido bother you? Do you want a rematch with him?
Yes it bothers me and I'm very disappointed about it. However I want to fight at featherweight and become an undisputed champion. After that I will move up to super-featherweight and the fight with Salido will happen.
Vasyl, has anyone ever knocked you down in your career?
Yes I was knocked down once in 2007. I was fighting in a tournament in Odessa, and in the final I got knocked down in the first round by a fighter from St. Petersburg. After that, later in the fight, I knocked him down twice and his corner threw in the towel.
How is your last week of training before a fight? How do you lower the intensity in the final week?
On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I only have one training session a day. Then Thursday and Friday are free for me. During weigh-in on Friday I don't do much. Just a casual day before the fight.
In your last fights you fought highly ranked fighters instead of highly known fighters. Do you think it would be better for you to instead fight more known fighters to gain more popularity?
I'm not the only one who chooses my opponents. My manager and promoter give me options and then we all agree on an opponent. You have to understand that boxing is a sport but also a business. Not all known fighters will agree to fight you and many of them are not available for the day you schedule your fight for. I could possibly have fought better opponents in my last fights, but some have injuries and some have other fights scheduled. To make a fight, in addition to the fighters, you need the managers and promoters to agree too.
When is your next fight scheduled?
Right now all I know is that it will happen in spring, most likely in the beginning or end of May.
How many times do you train a day?
Right now I’m training 2 times a day. Once I know the date of my fight, 2 months before the fight I will start training 3 times a day.
How do you make sure to make weight on weigh-in? Do you use diuretics?
No they are illegal and show up on blood tests. Usually I just don’t eat or drink before the fight.
What’s your natural and max weight you could fight at?
I could probably normally fight at 64kg (Super Lightweight). Maximum I would go would be 68kg (About Super Welterweight limit). I would have to try hard to go up that much though.
Will you be fighting in the 2016 Olympics?
Probably not because I have a contract with my promoter, and honestly I don’t think I have the motivation to fight at the Olympics again.
What are you doing right now? Btw thanks for answering my first question! (Joke question)
*Laughs* Awesome question. Currently reading your questions and trying to answer them.
Do you eat chips, crackers, (drink) Coca-Cola and eat fast food in general?
Honestly I ate chips and crackers as a kid so much I don’t eat them anymore. Coke and fast food I eat sometimes.
Is there a possibility you fight on April 25th?
No that was rumor that was spread by someone. I’m not fighting on the 25th of April.
What was your favorite subject in school? Any memories from your high-school days?
My favorite subject was Algebra. Honestly I don’t have any particular memories from school, because I was mainly concentrating on boxing when I was a kid. School started and ended for me from when I came to class and left class. I wasn’t really into the whole “high-school experience” apart from going to classes and training in boxing.
Did Bob Arum ever want you to get a new coach like Freddy Roach or Robert Garcia?
No there was never a request like that, and even if there ever was the answer would definitely be no.
Do you agree with the opinion that you don’t have a knockout power punch in your arsenal?
I would like to personally invite you to my gym in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. We have sparring sessions on Mon, Wed, and Fri from 6-8pm where you can find out for yourself.
Do you break road rules often? Since you got a V6 Mercedes do you like driving fast?
Yes honestly I like driving fast and got a few tickets already. However the speeding tickets in America are so expensive that you start to lose the desire to drive fast. *Laughs*
Do you think it’s possible to reach big heights in boxing if someone starts to box at the age of 17-18?
Yes, and I think the best example is Bernard Hopkins who started boxing at the age of 25.
How did your father gain so much knowledge and experience in the sport of boxing?
He studied well when he was young and finished a pedagogical university. He also learned a lot from my first trainer when I was just 6 years old in Odessa. Plus he was training other fighters before he started training me, so he got a lot of experience from that. He learned a lot from studying other fighters and trainers and ended up inventing his own philosophy and training style. All his knowledge he puts into me.
