22-year-old Ukrainian heavyweight Vladislav Sirenko (3-0, 3 KOs) is working with experienced American trainer James Ali Bashir, who has been cooperating with Vladimir Klichko for a long time and he also led Alexander Usyk in his first 10 professional battles.
Vladislav, you had three fights in the professional ring, all in South Africa and in all you have knocked out your opponents in the first round. How would you evaluate your debut fights?
The first three battles were warm-ups, there were frankly poor opposition. I did not set myself the goal of winning in the first round, it just happened that way. The first fight was hard, because we had a long flight, exhausting. I did not have enough time for adaptation but, thank God, I won it quickly.
We prepared very well for the rest. I did not know who would be my opponents, I was given a contract to fight, I signed, but who would be a rival, I did not know. As in an amateur competition – you came to the tournament, and you do not know your opponents.
So why South Africa?
I do not know. It's just that the coach with whom I'm working now has a ward, and he is from South Africa. I was invited there, was told that they could make a couple of fights. I wanted to start a career, so I did not care where - in Africa, in Ukraine, in America.
South Africa is a good country in terms of professional boxing. Amateurs are not in here, but there are professionals, they are not super, of course, but of a good level. And the television here is interested in professional boxing in South Africa, so it's fine. The promoter with whom I worked there [Kalakoda Promotions] is one of the most powerful in Africa. He made two of my fights on local television: the first and third.
I was happy, everything was interesting, everyone sounded supportive. Many fans became my friends, many people came up to take pictures.
Your coach is James Ali Bashir?
Yes, we met at Alexander Usyk training camp. Now we continue our work. I like him.
Bashir, apart from Usyk, is known for his work with Wladimir Klitschko. However, these are already accomplished fighters, and you are still a young boxer, which needs a different approach, rather than final touches. What do you cope with this?
We work very hard to analyze my fights, watch different bouts. Bashir likes to talk about other boxers, tells me different stories. We work hard on the mitts, we work out different combinations. It’s nothing special. We work on all components altogether.
