By Alexey Sukachev
WBO light welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KOs) is presently in the States, diligently preparing for his upcoming battle with undefeated challenger Chris Algieri (19-0, 8 KOs), which is set to take place on June 14 at the Barclays Center on Brooklyn, New York. Provodnikov was contacted by Russian daily “Novyje Izvestia” and… revealed some interesting facts about his future.
RP: I’m not going to stay in boxing for a long time. Probably, I’ll finish my career as a prizefighter pretty soon. I never planned to defend my title one time after another for years. What has attracted me to pugilism in the very first place was the chance to feed my family.
Daily: You were paid just a hundred USD for a single round not so long ago. Now you can earn millions, and you are still talking about a possible retirement…
RP: I love training children and I love helping people in every possible way. My people (Mansi) are eager to see me as their deputy, the nation’s representative of the regional level. I have already received a verbal offer, and I agreed on it. I’ll work for the good of my people.
Daily: But what is about the world of boxing?!
RP: Don’t worry. Our governor Natalia Komarova presented my hometown of Beryozovo with a new sports arena. It’ll be opened by the end of 2015. And it’ll be named after me. And I’ll be quietly departing from the sport at the same time. I have achieved everything I wished for in boxing. I have never planned to become a superstar. I have always dreamt about some quiet life after the end of my career. However, my people want me to be their deputy. Though I don’t rule out a chance that my desire to accept this offer will still be the same two years from now, before the next elections.
