We have only fresh and savory news! February 2015 | № 2 (137) More news and photos at www.tarasbulba.ru [email protected] Project manager – Yuri Beloyvan e [email protected] U v o k l r h a t in i i w an e c ad uisine – m Andrey KurKov: Andriy the Most Successful KotelniK: Ukrainian Writer in the World Where Українські шедеври: «Похорон кошового» – the Big Money Is, картина на межі століть Justice Ends TrAvel diAry: New York – the World’s Big Apple DELIVERY OF HOMEMADE UKRAINIAN FOOD AND HOTLINE 6+ www.tarasbulba.ru (495) 780-77-44 2 | guest guest | 3 Andriy KotelniK: FirST eArningS in boxing After all, I would never have agreed to it. I am a patriot of my hometown, my Where the Big Money is, Justice ends country. No matter what my homeland is like, I always want to come back here. As a child, I didn’t think I could make money from boxing. I liked the sport, the trips to the competitions, where we were provided with meals. It was pleasant, as AbouT An impoSSibLe dreAm I was able to lead a normal life. I boxed for the traveling, victories, and medals. At that time the system was different... Of course, I would like to be the undisputed world champion. But I would Former world boxing champion Andriy Kotelnik Today you cannot win children over with medals and traveling. They want need to go to America, for in Europe it is difficult to become one. Except if your something more, because the media often publishes the amounts that famous manager is the British man Frank Warren. He works directly with American TV. talked about how his difficult childhood spurred him to become a boxing star athletes make: one a million dollars, another even more. So children even before Thank God that I became a WBA world champion. And I got used to seeing things achieving anything want to make money. No one thinks about the fact that an realistically. Unification fights are very hard to arrange. athlete becomes a champion not in one day, one month, or one year. To be the Іn the professional ring I have four defeats. But those who understand boxing The life of Lviv boxer Andriy Kotelnik may become the basis for the watched television reports, played football and boxed. From childhood I had best, one must train hard for many years. But hard work remains behind the and saw my fights know that I was not defeated by anyone but the judges. It was script of a Hollywood blockbuster: a boy from a troubled family sold ice a dream – to become famous and powerful. Because I had a purpose in life, scenes. The public sees only the performance – the audience is not interested not I who lost, but my promoters. Where the big money is, justice ends. But God cream on the street, washed cars, and at the same time boxed. Sports was and I actually managed to make something of myself and not get lost in the in anything else. In fact, it is very difficult psychologically and physically. sees everything. On the third attempt I became a world champion and took what the only way for him to escape from poverty. streets. Sometimes I think I should work until I’m too tired, then leave boxing. But I rightfully belongs to me. Until the 1990s, І wouldn’t say my family was poor. My dad worked as the always have some goal, and I will never quit until I reach it. And then there are Favorite Dishes Despite persistent problems with food and shelter, Andriy became a Ukrainian head of the Polaron production plant, where he earned a good living. My mother new aims. And so it continues: I always say to myself that you need a little more I love varenyky and borshch. Varenyky are the number one dish. I really sports star. In 2000, he won a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics, and later worked in a kindergarten. We had a normal family. What happened next, I don’t patience... like the ones with meat. And with potatoes as well. In Germany I loved Turkish moved to the professionals, which started a new chapter in his life. Andriy’s path want to remember. Let me just say that alcohol destroys all: my mom and dad You may not believe me, but the first time I felt that I had enough money was cuisine. I also like sushi. In the West this dish is more popular and cheaper than to win the WBA light-welterweight title was very difficult. Three times he was a divorced, and I lost my family. Various suspicious characters began to visit our when I had the first fight for the world title against Souleymane M’baye. The in Ukraine. And once at the King Cup in Thailand I tried “snake” soup. I was victim of biased refereeing, but nevertheless he was able to achieve it. And the apartment. One night a bleak individual with a knife came and told me: “I want award, for me, was solid. For the championship fight against Gavin Rizal I got so hot that I thought I would burn from inside. Other Thai dishes such as fried ending was just fantastic – in the final 26 seconds of the fight with the Welsh to sleep here.” We had to put up with it. We had to sleep in the basement, in a half of what I got for the fight against the Frenchman. But I entered the ring not grasshoppers, frogs, spiders I did not want to try. During the tournament I ate a boxer Gavin Rees the Galician beat his opponent in a knockout. factory, or wherever we could find. for money but for the title. Incidentally, the Olympic silver medal in Sydney in lot of fruit. Then there was a fight, organized by the famous Don King, in America against I spent a lot of time on the street, because no one looked after me. Sometimes 2000 brought me a smaller financial award than the championship title fights in Text: Gleb KURKOV Devon Alexander. The Galician was better than the opponent, and this was even I lived with my brother, I spent some time in coach Dmytro Sosnovsky’s house, the professionals. Although, before the Games I had money only for food, but I Photos: Yuriy HELYTOVYCH recognized by HBO analysts. However, the judges again were not on Kotelnik’s there was a time when I was even given to an unknown family. returned from Australia a rich and famous person. At least at the time I thought side and gave the victory to Alexander. This was the Lvivian’s last major fight. So fate had it that as a child I had to take care of myself. I had to go through I was rich. I got two apartments, 30,000 dollars. Not long ago, in his hometown he said goodbye to boxing, winning against the a lot... Older pupils of Dmytro Sosnovsky gave me jeans, someone gave me a coat, bAcKground Georgian Alexander Benidze. and when I received a pair of Adidas boxing shorts, I felt I was in seventh heaven. THe beginning oF A cAreer in THe proS Specially for Bulba NEWS, Kotelnik remembered his path to success. Below is I rejoiced even when I received a jumping rope. Now one cannot impress kids Andriy Kotelnik was born December 29, 1977, in Lviv. He was the champion’s account. with such things. When I was 16, I was presented with brand-name “blinchyky” After the Olympics in Sydney I moved to the professionals and joined the trained by the famous Ukrainian coach Dmytro Sosnovsky. In the amateur (bag gloves). I was afraid to train in them, I wore them only at home when I did German company Universum Box-Promotions. When I signed the agreement and ring he had 150 fights, of which he won 135. Silver medalist of the 2000 HiS diFFicult cHiLdHood shadowboxing. saw the numbers in the contract, I was very pleased. But when I was faced with Olympics (Sydney, Australia). Winner of the European Cup 1999 (Lviv, Ukraine). Winner of the Junior European Championship 1995 (Siofok, At first I could not be entirely devoted to boxing. I needed first of all to life in Germany, with their taxes, rent, insurance (all of which I paid out of my Hungary). Five-time champion of Ukraine. On November 15, 2000, he They say success in sports is often reached by people from poor survive, that is, make a living. I made money by cleaning cars, selling ice cream. own pocket), I looked at life differently. It turned out that I went to Germany not signed his first professional contract with the German club Universum countries or from disadvantaged families. For them, sports is one of the only At about age 12-13 I started boxing more seriously. However, I did not always to earn money, but only to exist. Again, only when I became a world champion Box-Promotions (Hamburg), coach Michael Timm. He made his debut opportunities to secure a decent living. In general, I agree with this. Children go to the gym; there was even a break from training for a year or two. Because was I was able to put money into my own business. Until then I don’t believe I in professional boxing on December 16, 2000, in Essen. Overall he had 36 from disadvantaged families have a strong incentive to prove that they’re not of constant malnutrition I could not gain the desired weight.