Alexander Alekseev sits down for an interview to discuss the importance of his upcoming fight on Saturday, a WBO cruiserweight mandatory eliminator against Denis Lebedev in Germany.
Mr. Alekseev, you have always spoken of your dream opponent Marco Huck - now you have the chance to become mandatory challenger. How motivated are you?
Alexander Alekseev: What motivates me at the moment is my next opponent Denis Lebedev. I will of course be world champion. That to me is now the semi-finals. I focus
I only on this opponent and I do not think of Huck. I want to win. I need to win.
For this I will do everything. This is my chance.
You get it with your fellow unbeaten Denis Lebedev do. Your biggest challenge so far?
All opponents are strong. Upstairs there are no easy opponents. I want to be world champion, as there are no easy tasks and every opponent is a challenge. You have to fully concentrate on the fight, to focus to bringing your best performance. He is strong, but I can defeat him.
How did you prepare for this difficult battle?
Overall, I have prepared myself for 12 weeks. 18 days of them in Austria in the Bergen. Together with my coach Magomed Schaburow, Eddy Gutknecht and Dimitri Sartison. We have worked intensively in Hamburg. Two weeks sparring with three different sparring partners completed. Now I am in top shape and arrived at 99 percent capacity. The last percentage point I will get myself in the last days before the fight.
Was it hard for you, the surprising defeat against Victor Emilio Ramirez and what lessons have you learned?
Everyone makes mistakes. This is not an excuse, but that is checked off. I did everything well analyzed and considered the consequences. I can no longer afford a defeat. I know exactly why I lost and I had these weaknesses eliminated and improved my strengths. It was a surprise, but I gained experience from it. They say that one learns from mistakes - and I have! This experience can be positive, if you know how to use it. And that I will show in the ring.
Will you go with the objective into the fight, to knock out your opponent?
We fight at cruiserweight. Each punch can decide everything. I am always willing to go the whole distance. But if I have the chance to stop the enemy, then I use it. Boxing is dangerous. If I do not use the chance, my opponent might use it. Each move can mean defeat, so I will try to exploit some opportunities in my opponent.
How do you relax after a fight?
I spend a lot of time with my family and my son. Children are the best regeneration. You get so much positive energy with their laughter, their natural naive nature. I of course also sometimes fly straight home. I talk with my in-laws, friends and colleagues from my old amateur boxing days. I make them meet me at the fight and always it's very positive.
How comfortable do you feel in Germany, especially in Hamburg?
I feel very comfortable in Germany. With the language it works very well and I can
watch German TV without problems. And Hamburg is so beautifully green, a great
City. We go for long walks along the Alster and sit in the cafe and enjoy the beautiful
Flair.
What do you expect from the audience?
I myself am ready to deliver a perfect fight. This struggle is enormously important to me. Not just as a boxer but also mentally. I hope that the audience gives me extra strength and energy.
Why do you think you can dethrone the world champion Huck?
First of all I have to win my next fight, then I think about Marco Huck. My full concentration is focused on Lebedev and everything else does not interest me.
