Q & A with Oleg Maskaev
Interview with Oleg Maskaev, from yesterday.
mma365: How has training been for you so far?
Oleg Maskaev: Good, good, I'm training hard.
mma365: Your training and running in the mountains, do you believe this will give you an edge over Rahman, stamina wise?
Oleg Maskaev: Yes. Exactly. What is wrong with that?
mma365: Nothing. What do you think about weight-training in boxing, is it just for show, or does it really help a boxer?
Oleg Maskaev: It really helps, yes, it helps alot.
mma365: Do you do some weight training yourself?
Oleg Maskaev: Yes.
mma365: Rahman didn't look his best in his last two fights against Barrett and Toney, have you watched his last two fights, and what do you think of them?
Oleg Maskaev: Actually, I watched all his fights.
mma365: What did you think of the last two?
Oleg Maskaev: He did OK.
mma365: What about his fight with Barrett?
Oleg Maskaev: Yeah that fight you know, against Barrett, he didn't look good the first five, I believe, four rounds, there wasn't much action.
mma365: What does winning the WBC belt to you at this point of your career?
Oleg Maskaev: It means alot, to be a champ, to continue my career, and to be a real champion. I wanted to be a champ since I was a child, since I was a kid.
mma365: Rahman has been labeled as Americas "Last line of Defense", what can you attribute to the fall of the American dominace over the heavyweight division, was it
just a matter of time after the fall of the Soviet Union?
Oleg Maskaev: I can't say anything about this right now, but there is something to say about this a little bittle later. It's going to be a surprise.
mma365: What are you thoughts about Rahman as a person?
Oleg Maskaev: As a person? I don't know him very well as a person.
mma365: The last time you fought Rahman, the result was a spectacular knockout in the 8th round, what is your prediction for this fight, knockout or decesion?
Oleg Maskaev: I don't have any predictions for this fight right now, I know one thing, its going to be a tough fight, and the best will win, thats what I believe in.
mma365: Thank you for the interview, the entire Russian community in New York is behind you for the fight, good luck!
Oleg Maskaev: Thank you very much.