ESB EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ALEX AND ARTHUR ABRAHAM

EastsideBoxing.com
May 11 2006

11.05.06 – By Izyaslav “Slava” Koza: Picture it if you can: A German
boxing ring, in a crowded auditorium. A tall opponent named Kingsley
Ikeke and the soon to be champ Arthur Abraham still to make his ring
walk. The music begins to play and Abraham, dressed in the traditional
garb of what can best be described as a large smurf (basically just the
white hat) makes his way to the ring. On his face is one of the most
serious, focused scowls I, and many other fans have ever seen. All
the while Pierre Kartner, aka Father Abraham, a guy eerily similar
to jolly old St Nicholas Klause, belts away his European chart topper
“The Smurf Song,” accompanied by three hot chicks, dressed like female
smurfs and painted blue. The best way to define the whole affair is
psychedelically surreal. There was no metal, or rap, no artificial
extra emotion, rather only authentic elation coming from the Armenian
native, who was overjoyed at getting a chance to fight for a major
world title, and wanted to share that moment with all the fans who
came out to support him, by representing the characters, described
in one of Germany’s biggest pop hits..

Though the heavyweight scene is where most observers begin to notice
the dominance of former Soviet fighters, that dominance is not
exclusive to that weight alone. Arthur, as well as his undefeated
younger brother, Alex, along with Roman Karmazin, Sergei Dzindziruk
and a slew of others represent the next class of fighter in the
intermediate weights.

This Saturday Arthur will once again don the Smurf hat, and with
the same joyous determination that won him the belt he will defend,
represent his tiny yet proud homeland of Armenia. His opponent will be
tough power punching Kofi Jantuah a name familiar to American fans,
and a fighter who will take advantage of the bout if Abraham is not
on top of his game.

Last week I spoke with both Arthur, and Alex, on this upcoming fight
as well as other related boxing issues and none boxing issues. Here
is the gist of that conversation.

Arthur Abraham

ESB: Good Evening Arthur! First of all thanks for your time.

Arthur: Sure no problem.

ESB: Tell us how has your life changed after you captured one of the
major titles?

Arthur: Well nothing much has changed, I remained the same person I
was before I won the belt. Earnings changed a bit obviously. The press
bothers me a bit more now, people ask for autographs, newspapers call
more often. This has changed but I am still the same person I was. Oh
and there is more training now (laughs).

ESB: Can you tell us how the preparation for the fight is coming along?

Arthur: Its brutally tough. Every day only sparring, my arms are
almost falling off. Sometimes they hurt so much I don’t have the
strength to punch. I have such a huge work load.

ESB: Can you say who you’re sparring with? How many rounds of sparring
have you done?

Arthur: I have a bunch of different sparring partners not just the
same few. Boxed against somebody from America today but I don’t
know his name. Knocked him out though. Good fighter something like
24 wins in 27 fights. I just can’t remember all their names. Every
day or two I spar with new guys.

As far as rounds well I did eight today, tomorrow I will do eight. So
far something like 6,8 a day.

ESB: Your next opponent, Jantuah, is also from Africa like Ikeke
but unlike Kingsley he has a puncher’s reputation. What do you think
about him as an opponent and fighter?

Arthur: Of course he is a strong opponent, but no matter how strong
they are, I don’t get in the ring, to lose or just win. It doesn’t
matter if he is a puncher or a technical fighter because he will be
standing in my way and whoever does that I have to get around them
and win. His style of fighting is not relevant.

ESB: If you win your next opponent will most likely be Colombian
Edison Miranda? Will this fight take place in Germany as well?

Arthur: Its too early to say if the fight will be in Germany. First
we will try to win this fight and then we will consider how and where
the fight will be set up. To me it doesn’t matter really where the
fight takes place since I am always ready and always have to win.

ESB: It is obvious to most that the capital of boxing, at least for
your weight, is America. Are there any concrete plans or negotiations
with some of our America promoters to set up a fight or fights here?

Arthur: Sure! My manager has already been in contact and negotiating
with HBO. They have been interested for awhile, but also I don’t want
all the exposure and everything right away. I want to build up slowly,
step by step. If you can understand I just don’t want all the fame
right away.

ESB: Well that leads into my next question then, regarding if you would
be ready to face Wright, Taylor or Hopkins right away or would you…~E

Arthur: (interrupting) I am always ready to fight with Taylor or
Hopkins. If they call me tonight and say, “tommorow your fighting
with one of them,” I will be there ready to fight with one of them.

ESB: Well then speaking of the elites can you tell us who you think
will win the following fights: Taylor-Wright?

Arthur: I think Winky Wright will win. He is much more sound
technically and I think he will pressure Taylor constantly and not
give him a good chance to compose himself and fire back. I think
Wright will win.

ESB: How about Tarver Hopkins?

Arthur: Really? When?

ESB: I don’t have the date off the top of my head but it is signed
definitely.

Arthur: Well then I don’t know, but I think Tarver will win. Hopkins
is old already and really he is looking more so to make big money. He
won’t be able to break Tarver with his name.

ESB: If you won’t be able to breakthrough to America in the near
future, then it seems likely you will fight some Kohl fighters. Can
you comment on a fight with Felix Sturm or perhaps your countryman
Khoren Gevorgyan? What do you think about them as boxers?

Arthur: My manager already tried to set up a fight with Sturm. He
offered them one million Euros for the fight with me and they
refused. Now they are negotiating manager to manager, and they will
try to agree to something.

ESB: How about Gevorgyan? Are you friends with him?

Arthur: Gevorgyan? Well he isn’t a champ or that famous yet, so it
won’t be that interesting to fight him now. I am friends with him
though. I know all the Armenians here, we are always in contact. Talk
on the phone often.

ESB: Who do you think is Pound for Pound right now and why?

Arthur: (without hesitation) Mayweather because he is strong, fast,
and a good puncher. He is very good, and I like his style very much.

One has to try really hard to become a fighter like Mayweather. He
is very professional, and he has and knows how to do it all.

ESB: Whenever I, or other writers ask fighters from the former USSR,
if they would like to compete professionally in their homeland, the
answer is always negative due to financial reasons. If you achieve
the necessary success in Germany or America, would you like to fight
in Erevan, even if the money might not be as good?

Arthur: Of course! That is my goal. Of course I want to fight in
Armenia, that is my homeland, and I will fight there one day. However
like I said, I just became champion, and I don’t want to move and do
everything too fast. Little by little we will move towards and fight
in Erevan. If I fight there we will probably gather up a whole stadium
full of people. Everyone loves us at home, my brother and myself,
and that is why we really want to box there.

ESB: At what age did you start boxing and why?

Arthur: I started at 15. When I watched boxing on TV back then, I
saw these champions of the world, and how they were sitting on the
shoulders of their corner men. I always wanted the same to happen
to me. How they cried, and celebrated with pure joy, when they first
became champions. It was very emotional and touching for me inside,
and I always wanted to be there, celebrating just like them. I promised
myself I would became champion of the world before my 25th birthday
and my dream has come true.

ESB: Who were some of your favorite fighters back then, both national
and international?

Arthur: Mike Tyson, but only the young Tyson, when he was killing
everybody. Not the shadow of him now that fought later and recently,
but when he was young.

I also like Kostya Tsyzu. I really respect him and think he was a
terrific boxer.

ESB: Are you acquainted with Kostya?

Arthur: No I am not. Germany is far away from Australia (laughs). I
think we will meet one day, when the time comes we will meet.

ESB: Ok now the important question: who’s idea was it to pick the
Smurf Song for your entrance music?

Arthur: Well my name is Abraham too. The guy who sings it is a musician
called Papa Abraham, and it’s a very popular song in Germany. Everybody
loves it, its how do you say it, like a national sensation. All the
little kids and adults love this song, so it was very good for my
image. So the song was chosen for me, and that is why I am becoming
more of a household name, and why I am popular here.

ESB: Yea its very interesting and funny to see you with the hat and
the blue female smurf entourage. Have you ever watched the cartoon. I
remember it when I was a kid.

Arthur: Yea of course! It’s a cartoon, I watch everything. Thing is
everybody does and goes to see hip hop, or metal, and nobody will put
on the same type of show. It all becomes similar and boring. I am the
only one who does it this way, and that is why its so interesting
(laughs) and why everybody watches, and is delighted. When I enter
the arena everybody stands up and starts to sing and clap and wave
their hands and cheer for me.

ESB: What do you like to do in your free time outside the ring?

Arthur: Good question, in my free time the first thing I don’t want to
do is train, and I don’t want to hear anything about the sport. I fly
to Erevan, there I spend time with my parents, friends, or my brother
or with a girl. I don’t drink, or smoke. I go to places where I can
spend time and be happy.

ESB: What kind of music do you listen to and like?

Arthur: Different stuff, Armenian, Russian lounge pop, Russian techno,
I really like Irina Allegrova. Oh and I like Hip Hop, American black
music. I like 50 cent, not everything, but most of them.

ESB: Tell us about your family. Kids? Girlfriend?

Arthur: No I am not married and don’t have kids, live with my brother
have a few girls I know.

ESB: Alright now I will ask you some questions about your brother
and then after I talk to him I will ask him the same ones about you.

Arthur: Yea sure go ahead.

ESB: When you were small did you fight a lot? If so who got the better
of who?

Arthur: When we were small we did fight, but not a lot. I don’t
remember who won we were small, it wasn’t serious fighting, the way
brothers usually fight when they are young. However, that was then
now we are living in peace. We are together 24/7, only now we sleep
in different rooms (laughs).

ESB: Do you spar against each other now?

Arthur: We have never sparred against each other in our lives. We
will never spar or fight against each other.

ESB: Who’s side did your parents take when you two argued?

Arthur: I don’t remember but usually back then they watched out for
the younger ones, so that the older one doesn’t do something to them.

ESB: Alex is younger then you?

Arthur: Yea my brother is a year and a half younger.

ESB: can you name one habit of your brother that you can’t stand and
that drives you nuts?

Arthur: (laughs) When we are home: Computer, Internet, Television,
Stereo with music, and the phone is on too. PLUS he eats at the same
time. We come home everything goes on right away. He is my brother
though we can live together.

ESB: The Klitschko brothers claim they will never fight against each
other because they promised their mother. Did you make the same sort
of promise?

Arthur: No we didn’t promise anybody we were just raised that way
that we won’t consider it. How can I seriously fight my brother? How
can I hit him?

ESB: No I understand. How about say hypothetically if such a fight
were to happen can you analyze it and give a prediction?

Arthur: No it will never happen there just isn’t an answer to that.

ESB: Arthur thanks for your time. Now if its possible can I speak
with Alex?

Arthur: Sure! No problem. I will get him.

Alex Abraham

ESB: Hey Alex!

Alex: Hey!

ESB: Can you tell us from an independent perspective how your brother
is looking in training?

Alex: He is training superbly. He is feeling really good right now,
and I think the American will feel the result.

ESB: Will you be in his corner for the fight?

Alex: No I will be sitting at ringside, but I will have a chance to
give advice as necessary.

ESB: When will your next fight be?

Alex: My last bout was a week ago when Klitschko fought. Right now
there is no information about my next fight but I think I will fight
next sometime in August.

ESB: The only half blemish on your record is against Silvan Gomis a
fight that ended in a draw. Can you tell us what happened?

Alex: Well I fought him again after that and won. First time we fought
I was really sick and felt terrible the night of the fight.

Then we lined up a repeat and I won without any major problems. I
took all the rounds easily.

ESB: When did you start boxing and what was your amateur record?

Alex: I started at fifteen like Arthur. I had about 70 fights,
something like 62 wins 8 losses.

ESB: Which fighters did you like back then?

Alex: Arthur and I loved Tyson back then he was awesome. Now I like
Joe Calzaghe he is a very good fighter.

ESB: Can you give us your thoughts on who will win between Karmazin
and Spinks? Also who of the elite fighters in your division would
you like to fight if you could?

Alex: I think Karmazin will probably win. If I could I would fight
the WBO champ Sergei Dzindziruk.

ESB: What do you like to do in your free time?

Alex: (laughs) I like to go to Armenia there is a lot to do there.

ESB: What type of music do you like?

Alex: Everything! A lot of the stuff they show on Russian MTV here.

Armenian music, Russian music.

ESB: Can you name some of the artists you like?

Alex: HMmm I like….Allegrova…~E or Pugachova. Oh and Shufutinsky
he sings a lot of good songs.

ESB: What about movies?

Alex: I like movies with John Reno, and also Scarface. Tony Montana
(laughs).

ESB: Ha! Al Pacino.

ESB: I read your trying to help your parents move to Germany how is
that coming along?

Alex: Yea we are trying to help the and hopefully soon they will join
us here. We have to get them German documents and then everything
will be cool.

ESB: Now I will ask you some questions about Arthur if you don’t mind.

Alex: Yea sure.

ESB: When you were younger and fought each other who won?

Alex: Easy. Arthur was bigger I was smaller you get it.

ESB: Who’s side did your parents take in arguments?

Alex: Well parents defended me cause I was smaller (laughs)

ESB: Do you like the song your brother enters the ring to?

Alex: If there is a large crowd and they are into it and like it then
we like it too, if no then it’s a different matter. Its good because
it promotes him, a lot of people in Europe know his name cause of it.

Our first job is to box, but it is also important besides that to
give the viewers a good show.

ESB: Can you name a habit of your brother’s that you don’t like
that much?

Alex: (chuckles) No I like everything about him. We live together
peacefully. We are always together.

ESB: Alex I want to thank you and Arthur for taking the time to talk
with us. I wish him luck on Saturday and you as well in the future.

Alex: Sure! No problem. Thanks for calling.

As always I want to thank Heiko Mallwitz for helping set this interview
up, and another thanks to both Alex and Arthur for talking to us
from training camp. Good luck to Arthur on Saturday and here is to
hoping HBO decides to pick up his fights so everybody in the boxing
world benefits.

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