ERASMUS + NEWSPAPER ZESPÓŁ KSZTAŁCENIA PODSTAWOWEGO I GIMNAZJALNEGO NR 17 Z KLASAMI SPORTOWYMI IN GDAŃSK. 09.06.2016 Tiger in our school! Tiger, Dariusz Michalczewski, the world famous former boxer visited our school to tell us about his career, his ups and downs and the foundation established by him to help talented children live up to their maximum potential. Dariusz Michalczewski holds the record for the most consecutive successful world title defenses at light- heavyweight. He is two weight world champion and 23 successful defenses of his WBO title and picked up three other belts along the way. We were happy, exci- ted and proud that we could host him and his manager in our school, interview him and ask about his his he- althy habits, ability to push his limits, capability to con- centrate, control emotions, and win. Also we wanted to know how to lead heathy life after finishing one’s care- er as a professional athelete. Thank you for coming to our school.and thank you for all you do for young peo- ple funding stipends which allow them pursue their dreams. 2 ERASMUS + NEWSPAPER - Why did you choose boxing - Yes, it was in 1996, I as your favourite sport disci- fought with Gracia- pline? no "Rocky" Rocchigian and - My grandfather and my father I was on par with him. It were boxers, boxing had been was an equal fight, but final- always popular in my family. ly he knocked me on the - Why did you leave Poland break during round seven. and ran to Germany? Initially the result was a - The were completely diffe- technical draw, but later it rent then. You do not remember was changed into disqualifi- that but your parents know they cation. There are a lot of ru- were really hard. If you wanted les which must be obeyed in to make money doing what you boxing. You aren’t allowed liked it was the best way. Many to hit with your head, people flied from Poland. I was shoulders, elbows, you can’t both lucky and unlucky to find punch below the belt. And, - What was your heaviest fi- you can’t throw a punch ght? after a signal ‘stop’ given by - My coach decided I was going a judge. He did and that led to fight with the youngest and to his disqualification. the strongest boxers of all the 4 Another fight I lost was with federations. I had been prepa- a Mexican Julio Cesar Gon- ring for the fight for 9 months. I zales. It was due to a con- was thinking about that all the troversial split decision. Ho- time, while having breakfast, wever, I have to admit that taking a shower, chating with at this time I wasn’t as much friends. I was considering how dediated to boxing as before. to start the fight, how to react, I started running my own what his response could be. I business. Mentally, I was was practicing my concentra- doing something else. And, tion skills. Than I had to keep you know, in boxing as in asking myself— did I do literal- any other sport, if you want ly everything, didn’t I cheat my to succeed you have to give coach, did I keep the diet stra- 1000% of yourself. Dedica- ight. I had to control my emo- te 1000% yourself to trai- tions. The more feelings the we- ning and mental approach. aker you are. - When did you come back - In 1997 you became the to the country? champion of two federa- - In 2002 in Brunsvik I - Do you do any sports now? tions—WBA (World Boxing fought again under Polish - I don’t do any boxing, but I do Association) and IBF colours. I was one of the he- sports, it is important for me to (International Boxing Federa- aviest fights I have ever had. have a good conditionI do so- tion), but before that you had I fought against Jamaican me running, I go to the gym re- lost one of two fights you have Richard Hall. In the begin- gularly. ever done. ning he was better, he hit me - How many hours a day did strongly, I wasn’t able to see you practice? as my eyes weere swollen. - I had 10 training sessions a In the fifth round I started week. Sunday was the only day hitting back and finally I I didn’t practice. If you want to won in the tenth round. succeed, you have to work. The- - Why did you fund your re is no other way. foundation, Equal Opportunities? ERASMUS + NEWSPAPER 3 - I come from a poor family. It - Why are you called -What are your strongest was my uncle who took me to ‘Tiger’? points? the first boxing training. I di- - I was quite an aggressive - My left hook. Absolutely. I dn’t have money for practice, fighter and I prefered an prefer a brave, courageous good clothes, proper food. My offensive style of boxing. style of fighting. I alwyas uncle paid for it, even if he Secondly, one of Romanian punch with my right hand but wasn’t a very rich man. He boxers falso escaped from left is more precise. When noticed something valuable his country and we started you practice as I did, a left and worth investing in me. fighting for Germans toget- hook is killing. For me my This money which I got then her. The name was used to left hook was the key, It ope- was much more important to tell us apart. ned sesame. My mum used me that millions I earned afterwards. Because of that I decided to raise my founda- - Today is a funeral of tion Its aim is helping young, Muhhamad Ali, one of the prospetive and give opportu- greatest boxers of all the ti- mes. Did you fight with him? nities they weren’t given at - No, I didn’t, but I met him their birth. Boxing is a good once. We met in the USA, to turn kids’ feeling of isola- we had breakfast together. He tion, aggression, a sense of was ill, he was trembling, but I rebellion into sport fights, think he was one of the few playing fair, following rules, althletes of the century. A great observing a diet, taing care of sportsman, great man. An ama- one’s body. zing person to follow. - Is boxing healthy sport? Why have you got this scar on your neck? - It’s after cutting off a tumor. I had a growth on my neck. Is boxing healthy? I’ve had two elbows broken, two knees, bro- ken a disc, two brewridges, my nose was broken 8 times. - Have you ever been afraid of your opponent? - No, I felt jitters of course, but no fear. I can only be afraid that I haven’t done everything what I shoud have done. I always asked myself—didn’t I skip so- me punches and told the coach I did , Didn’t I miss any training, Maybe I didn’t keep to my diet rules. But it’s not fear. The worst thing is letting down my family and friends. 4 ERASMUS + NEWSPAPER - How do you prepare mentally to Dariusz Michalczewski was born on 5th of May in 1968 and he the fight? is one of the most famous boxers in the world. He was invinci- - I try not to go to bed too late. I ble for 12 years. His boxing nickname is “Tiger”. know I have to gime all of me. I have He started boxing when he was twelve years old. He started car- to make sure I have done everrything rier in his family town, where his uncle escorted him on train- I could have done to prepare phisi- ings to the boxing hall. At the beginning he represented cally. “Stoczniowiec Gdansk” and in years 1987-1988 he represented a club “Czarni Slupsk”. In 1985 he became a Polish junior champion and in next year he won a gold medal in Polish youth championship in weight lightly-average. 24th of April he didn’t return from the travel his crew to RFN, whereby he was disqualified for life by PZB, and there he start- ed his professional carrier. In July this year he got German citi- zenship and he continued his amateur carrier. First he became a champion of Deutschland, and in 1991 in Goterborg he became a champion of Europe in weight heavy-average. 22th of May 1993 he became intercontinental champion of IBF in weight heavy-average. 0th September 1994 he became a champion of world WBO in weight heavy-average. 17th of December 1994 he became champion of world WBO in - When you look at the eyes of your weight junior-heavy. 1 opponent before the fight have you 3th of June 1997 in Oberhausen he won against Virgil got a premonition, can you sense a Hill and became a champion of WBA and IBF in weight heave- loss or a victory? average. - No, it’s not looking at one’s eyes, In 2002 federation WBO announced Michalczewski “Champion its’ not feeling that you can win. It’s of all time”. 1th of June 2015 he ended his boxing carrier. not emotions which win, it’s phisical In 2003 he set up a charitable foundation “Rowne preparation. Szanse” and he supports financially boxing clubs In Poland. He - We would like to thank you for takes care of health and takes a lot of exercises. He engages in coming, being with us and answer- ing your questions.