Former world heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev on the reasons of his defeat to Alexander Usik, shoulder injury and future plans.

"Before the fight with Usik there were problems with weight loss".

- Murat, you became the IBF world champion at the age of 23, and at 24 - also the WBA champion, but in the final of the Super Series - defeat and you lost your belt. How was the first 24 hours after that defeat, how hard was it?

- Almost everything was as usual. The fight was over, I went to the locker room, changed my clothes, then I took a doping test and went to the press conference. Then I went to my hotel room. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I didn't want to sleep at all and I stayed in my room till morning. In the morning I met my team and the next day I flew home to Vladikavkaz.

- Have you been watching the fight with Usik?

- Not yet. To be honest, I don`t have such a desire yet...

- Because it`s the first defeat in your career?

- I do not think so. Actually, I rarely review my fights, even if I won them. For example, I still haven't watched the fight with Denis Lebedev, with Vlodarczyk too. I saw the fight with Dorticos, but not the whole fight. I just do not like to watch my fights, I do not know why.

- How was the preparation for the fight with Usik, were there some unusual problems.

- Weight loss, probably. Before the fight with Usik it was the most difficult in my career. I've never used a nutritionist, I ate almost everything I wanted and I thought that this time I would lose weight without any problems. But just before the weighing I had about a kilo and a half.

- What kind of shape are you in now?

- I'm not training yet because of my left shoulder injury. I had an operation and now I'm in the recovery process.

- What kind of injury?

- Torn ligaments.

- When did it happen?

- During the fight with Usik. I do not remember exactly - in the second or third round. At one point, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. My arm became sluggish and it hurt to hit it.

- Did it affect the result of the fight much?

- I don't think it was the deciding factor. Of course, it affected the course of the fight, but, in general, Alexander was better prepared than me. In the end, he outplayed me technically. All my mistakes were clearly visible and now I have a lot to work on.

- So, that defeat was tactical?

- Yes, probably. I let him play a little bit better than me. I know I could have rebounded better, but because of some flaws, it was such a defeat.

- What did you have to do to win?

- I had to train twenty times more and better.

- During the fight, in the ring, what decisions had to be made?

- It's just that, apparently, the opponent had a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and so on. And we, unfortunately, had only plan A and that's it.

- In that case, who is to blame for the defeat?

- My fault, of course - I'm in the ring. Maybe I must have misheard something... Well, I take full responsibility. I'm guilty. Shoot him!

"Replace Sanchez? No one."

- What was said in the corner during the fight?

- Honestly, I don't remember it very well. Yeah, I said I couldn't adjust to him... And something else. But now I really can't remember.

- In general, what evaluation can be given to the work of your "corner"?

- They poured the water, put ice on it, and gave me tips; everything was 10 out of 10. Everything was as usual.

- Was the referee's score objective?

- I do not even remember what it was, but I know that I lost all the rounds. I lost all the rounds. Uncontested.

- How did Sanchez explain that defeat after the fight?

- Well, I didn't talk to him in detail after that. We just hugged each other, he said "nothing, we'll be back" and left. He had an early flight to America and he went to the airport.

- Were you thinking about breaking up with Sanchez after the fight with Usik?

- I had six fights with him before the Super Series finale and everything was great. I feel I've improved a lot under his guidance. I just need to change something in my training after that defeat. Let's say I need an additional coach, maybe my first coach Vitaliy Konstantinovich Slanov can join me.

- Did anyone of your team say you had to leave your coach?

- Many people did, but who can you change it for? In the U.S., let's say, there's Freddie Roach, but I don't think I would have worked with him. Then there is Roberto Garcia, but he has all boxers under 72 kg maximum and it's unknown what he can give, plus he has a lot of people training in his gym. Then there is Virgil Hunter, Andre Ward's trainer, he's not so bad, but it's not obvious. In general, I've gone to a lot of gyms to spar and I've seen that almost everywhere there's absolutely no clearly defined work. But Sanchez always has a specific training plan, a system.

- You remembered Vitaliy Slanov. Did he say anything about the fight?

- I`ve never talked to anyone in particular. So, everyone asked me how I felt, and so on. But we didn`t sit down and analyze the fight in detail. Vitaliy Konstantinovich said, that we didn't have enough experience.

- You mean the school of amateur boxing?

- I don't like the style of amateur boxing - when everything is about technique, beauty, with dives... Most people who watch boxing like it when boxers "kill" each other in the ring. For example, people go to a bullfight to see a bull hit a matador - and only then do they wonder if he's okay. Or, for example, people go to a race like the Nascar to see a high-speed crash. My opinion is the same in boxing. People come to see the spectacle. Yes there are people for whom the spectacle is technical boxing, but for most people it's the power option. I'm a supporter of a bright fight, so that the majority of viewers will enjoy watching it.

- What's your main goal now?

- To recover and regain the world champion belt as soon as possible.

- When do you expect your next fight?

- I think I'll be able to fight in March or April. My opponent is still undecided. But it will be someone from the top 10.