http://www.sherdog.net/fo(...)hould-fight-1729775/Emelianenko: "FAMILY UNDERSTAND THAT I SHOULD FIGHT ON"
- After your loss to Antonio Silva you said: "It's time to wrap it up" and your fans were horrified.
- That’s what they wrote. In fact, I said, "Maybe it's time to go"... Those were two loses because of my mistakes, and there is always the possibility of a new failure. But then, discussing everything with the team, we made a decision – I should continue on.
- Was the opinion of the family taken into account?
- Certainly. The opinion of my wife and mother for me are very important. My wife, probably in some degree would like me to retire. And mom, of course, also said it was time to finish it. However, people were calling, asking, begging... They want me to retire, but understand that I must stay.
- Henderson, with whom you fight July 30 in Chicago, is 40. Are you affraid people will say "Emelianenko beat up a tomato can!”
- No, because Dan Henderson is today one of the strongest fighters ever. He has had many performances, but he always stayed in the top ten. His track record speaks for itself. How many different belts he has? Five? Six?
- In an interview with a Russian newspaper you compared him with a vortex.
- Well, Henderson is not a whirlwind, of course, but he has explosive speed. Shot, punch, kick - those sharp attacks he have won him many battles. Henderson moves, breathes and scrambles very, very good.
- After two consecutive defeats do you worry more about the upcoming one?
- No.
- A more thorough training?
- I train for each fight the same, with the same intensity. Any opponent is worthy of respect.
- Two lost fights - two different stories, or a trend? Have you studied the reasons for those loses?
- I came to some conclusions, but I do not want to discuss them in as much detail as it is done by other people on the Internet. We worked very hard, we paid a lot of attentionn to the floor, to the stand up... So, somewhere I made a mistake.
- A former athlete, now actor Oleg Taktarov, with whom you are acquainted recently said, "Emelianenko had to rematch Werdum, and not go under the train." Is he right?
- No, not right, of course. This is a sport, not always everything turns out as you planned. Of course, we would like a rematch with Werdum. But we had obligations, there are people who organize the fights, the bosses, Strikeforce...
- Is there a chance that a second bout with the Brazilian still take place?
- I think so. First, the fight with Henderson, and then we will see.
- Revenge is now necessary not only with Werdum, but also with Silva. Who do you want more?
- I do not have a feel for revenge.
- Another quote from Taktarov, "Fedor is in a kind of slavery. Some people have their own personal scores to settle with him, they could very well don’t offer him any fights at all. "Who is it?
- That is only known to Oleg.
- Perhaps the question of contractual slavery?
- I don’t have any super-rigid contract. Oleg talks about what he does not know.
- Do you still hope to one day be able to fight at home?
- First, I had an exclusive contract with Japan, and now - with the United States, but not so exclusive. In principle, it allows us to organize the match in our country, but ... Russia does not have enough, well, good support. There has to be a very high level of competition.
- Did you like the recent bout between Denis Lebedev and Roy Jones? Did your friend and countryman realize his dream?
- What he wanted, he got - laughed Emelianenko. - Personally, I am a bit disappointed. Lebedev – is a great fighter, I have great respect for him. In the previous fight, when Dennis, in my opinion, won, but they give the fight to the defending champion, he fought very well. But, there was no advertising, no discussion, no protest. And no one even remembered the Russian spirit, or be proud of our boxer ...And now, Dennis has beaten Roy Jr. “a man with a bunch of recent loses”?... I really did not like the work of TV commentators. Too pretentious and a lot of trash talking in the direction of Roy Jones.
- What do you mean - trash? Abusive?
- Disrespectful.
- Don’t you think that Jones, is becoming a rent-a-celebrity and put himself in this position? He had a different path. He could have left.
- I understand that. But if people continue to go into the ring, it means they have a need for it.
- Finance?
- Apparently, financial. He probably, to some extent became a rent-a-celebrity. But we have this topic inflated to enormous size. Roy Jones is still Roy Jones. He still is perhaps the best boxer of all time.
- Fedor,I do not want to go through your pocket, but it is clear that with your career-earned money you could live and prosper comfortably in any country in the world, yet you prefer Russia. Isn’t your apartment too small? In your youth, you lived in a communal apartment.
- Always lived and will live in Stary Oskol. My housing all right, not complains, thank you.
- Kostya Tszyu recently said in an interview about Russia. He said that he can’t live here, because people are non-punctual, rude and rough.
- Motherland is likeas a mother. You must love it for what it is. Mom sometimes mothers get sick, and the country different things can go wrong. I thank God for being born in Russia. And rude people, non-punctual people...If you treat people with kindness, if you carry positive emotions, you will be treated the same way. And if for some reasons you are angry, do not pour it on others. Explain, gently let the person understand and they will draw conclusions.
- You are a very strong person. What to do if you see injustice in everyday life? Intervene - or stay away?
- Injustice, evil can’t be allowed to happen. If it happens close to you you must intervene. Sometimes you can only overcome evil with force. I always try to talk it over.
- To stay on top, you need to constantly evolve and learn something. You just seem to know everything. Or?
- I am working in many directions. I don’t really want to talk about it, but my kicks are still not as good as my hands. I am training Thai boxing, and it’s going very good, but in a fight l still can’t bring those skills to work automatically. My hands are all nice, but I mostly use my kicks defensively.
- Latest question - a collective one from all my friends who are addicted to martial arts or boxing. How to become like Fedor Emelianenko?
- When I asked about this, I always say: "But why? What is the point? "
- And yet.
- Need determination. Ability to work constantly to endure fatigue and pain, the willingness to live with this pain. Also - love their country and thank God for what He has given you in life.
Immediately after our conversation Fedor went to the designer studio, where he was shown sketches of shirts and sweaters “Emelianenko”. He is the spokesperson for the sportswear “Forward”.
- “We adorned here the Russian coat of arms with laurel wreaths” - praised the designer.
- “The Russian coat of Arms does not have laurels - Emelianenko said firmly. He studied all the sketches very carefully, he is an artist himself. – “And these words (quote about Russia and God) can’t be written verticaly under any circunstances”
- “May I suggest another phrase? - He said, though hardly anyone would refuse Fedor. Emelianenko was given a pen. "Reason, pagans, and submit, for God is with us" - led the famous fighter.