– Has your life changed after winning the WBO champion belt?
– The first week there were a lot of interviews and meetings, but then I turned off my phone and hid from everyone to rest quietly with my family. Soon I will start serious preparation for the next fight.
– What would you put higher – Olympic gold or the WBO belt?
– Olympic gold, of course, is higher. The Olympics happen only once every four years, and I worked towards gold for two whole Olympic cycles. I managed to win the belt in just three years, so the awards cannot be compared.
– What helped you psychologically prepare for such an important fight with Glowacki?
– The team has a psychologist with whom we have been working for a long time, so there are no problems with that. Of course, we prepared for a tough fight, for all 12 rounds, so I was ready one hundred percent.
– How did you rest after the tense fight?
– I went home to my family in Crimea. We had a great rest in Miskhor. We swam in the sea, had fun, etc.
– Does your contract have any restrictions on traumatic types of recreation?
– No, I believe that every athlete should understand for themselves what they can and cannot do. If the athlete's level is high, then they understand that some things cannot be done, for example, skiing or motorcycles. They know that if they get injured, they will let down not only themselves but the whole team, so before doing something, you need to think carefully.
– When can we expect your next fight?
– I don't know yet. There are only potential opponents with whom we are negotiating; I won't name specific names or dates yet.
– Do you prefer to always drive yourself or sometimes use a driver?
– I like driving, so I don't have a driver. I am generally against giving my car to anyone.
– Do your sports skills help you drive on our roads?
– My godfather says they help. But our roads are sometimes hard to even call roads. For example, I was driving to a friend in the Kirovohrad region, and there was simply no road; I was driving literally on the shoulder and through a field. At one point I stopped, got out of the car, and saw that I was standing in a pit about 30 centimeters deep!
– What driving style do you prefer?
– It depends on where and what I'm driving, and how much time I need to get there. Sometimes I like to press the pedal if the car allows. In the city, I usually drive calmly.
– Have you ever been involved in road conflicts?
– It happened, of course... I didn't have to get out of the car, but through the open window I heard all sorts of things. I take it very calmly because I can't know what's in a person's soul; maybe someone offended them. I can look at them and calmly, without insults, say: well, are you a fool? Naturally, sometimes I get worked up too, but it's nothing; I turn up the music louder, sing a bit, and calm down.
– By the way, what music do you listen to in the car?
– Different kinds, mostly rap, hip-hop, or electronic music. There are also a couple of "classics" discs. Among my favorite bands, I can highlight "Basta", "25/17", Okean Elzy, and in general, there is always a lot of good music on the flash drive.
– Has the police ever stopped you?
– The new police officers haven't stopped me, maybe once or twice. The traffic cops often stopped me because a black tinted car with Crimean plates attracted them a lot. Usually, they just checked documents, but sometimes they stopped me for speeding; of course, they recognized me, took photos, etc.
– Did it happen that they didn't recognize you?
– It happened, of course, they didn't recognize me. I remember once a warrant officer stopped me just to check documents. I tried to find out the reason for the stop, but in the end, we didn't agree on anything, and I just drove off.
– What do you value most in a car?
– The quality of the car! I really like my Toyota Land Cruiser 200; I don't know what car could be better. I've driven others, much more expensive cars (Bentley, etc.), but in the end, I drive almost exclusively the "Cruiser". You could say I found my car.
– What was your first car?
– The very first was my dad's blue "Moskvich" 412. I drove it around the field, even tried to pull the handbrake; in short, I enjoyed driving as much as I could. My first personal car was a Skoda Octavia A5, which I still sometimes drive.
– You are clearly very passionate about cars?
– Yes, I really like cars; I can say I "get a kick" out of them. I like to take care of my car myself if time allows; I even have a special small vacuum cleaner. When I go to the car wash, I know the places in the car that they don't clean, and I say: what's the deal, you get paid for this and should wash the car properly. Next time I come, they already know where I'll check and clean everything. I think if you do something, you should do it 100 percent well, and if you don't, then you're not a professional at your job.
– Do you have a dream car?
– If I had the opportunity to collaborate with Toyota, I would suggest a couple of ideas. For example, release a Land Cruiser in a special Black Edition, or "Black Wolf", with a five-liter diesel, in all black, on 21-inch black wheels, without any nasty wood or chrome that catches the eye. And also make good sound. Sometimes you turn on the radio and, suddenly, a good song plays; you press a button, the hard drive finds that song and automatically records it, then uploads it to your flash drive. I would gladly drive such a car. In general, I have many ideas for Toyota!
– What would you like to wish our motorists?
– I would like to ask our motorists to respect each other. For example, when you see a traffic jam ahead, don't run a red light and then delay other people. Everyone wants to get through faster, but in the end, everyone stands! We always notice what others do, but rarely remember that 15-20 minutes ago or yesterday, we did the same thing, and we fall into the same trap. If someone cuts us off, we immediately react, but what if they did it accidentally, or it's an inexperienced girl driving? Always stay calm and respect each other!
Photos by AvtoPortal, K2 Promotions and Toyota
