On June 8, the man from London
will renew his feud with defending champion Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs).
After previously losing and
fighting Huck to a draw, Afolabi believes that now it is his time to shine at
the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany. For that reason, the 33-year-old
has brought himself into tremendous shape due to changes in his preparations
leading up to the fight.
In the following interview,
Afolabi explains what he has done differently this time round and why he is
time has come at last.
Ola Afolabi, it has been over
a year that you last stepped into a ring. In May 2012, you fought out a draw
against your very next opponent Marco Huck. What do you remember of the fight?
Ola Afolabi: It was extremely
tough. Towards the end of it, I lost my focus. That allowed him to get back
into the bout. My mental preparation ahead of the fight was not ideal and that
took its toll back then.
How is your training going?
You have been in Germany for a few weeks now…
Ola Afolabi: It has been
really good. I have started my preparations back in November of last year. I
went to Big Bear in California to work on my conditioning, which I have also
been working on while we were staying in Zinnowitz, Germany. If I compare my
current fitness level to previous camps, it is a difference of day and night.
According to yourself, you
have been preparing for this fight since November. Is there any danger that you
might have been doing too much and that your intense training could have cost
too much energy?
Ola Afolabi: No, there is no
danger whatsoever. I have mostly been working on my conditioning by running a
lot as well as on my mental strength. Sparring only started a few weeks ago. I
will be at my best when I step into the ring come June 8.
What do you mean when you say,
that you have been doing things you were not doing in your previous
preparations?
Ola Afolabi: I have been
learning from fight to fight. As I did not have an amateur career, I had to
gain experience by fighting against professionals. I am still a raw product. A
big difference is that I have changed my diet. I am eating properly and take
vitamin supplements. I quit eating cheeseburgers and other junk food and have
turned to healthy food instead. It makes a huge difference. I could make the
weight for the fight right now. So by not having to make weight I can
concentrate on my training and keep my focus.
You have been quite openly
talking about your preparations via the social media, keeping your fans but
also your opponents up to date with the progress. Why do you do that and isn’t
there a danger of giving away too much?
Ola Afolabi: I am very proud
of myself and the way the preparation has been going so far. I want my fans to
know, that I am not just talking but backing it up. It also keeps me motivated
when the supporters give me a positive feedback. Moreover, I am only posting
photos of my progress. I do not talk about my sparring and I do not go into
detail. All it does is that it should motivate Huck. He knows that I am ready.
So he better be ready himself.
On June 8, you will try to
grab the WBO World Championship off Huck for a third time. With what kind of
attitude are you going into the fight?
Ola Afolabi: My attitude is
pretty simple. This was my belt, this is my belt and I am coming to finally
take it from him. I honestly do not see how I could lose this fight. I have
been working to hard on myself and on the tactics. I should already have won
the title last year. Now the time has finally come.
After two previous encounters,
you must know Marco Huck quite well now. Where do you see his strengths and
weaknesses?
Ola Afolabi: Huck always comes
to fight. When he turns up, he is going for it. He is a bit like a robot and
just keeps coming. He is actually too tough to know when he has been hurt. I do
not want to talk about his weaknesses. You can ask me again after I beat him.
Obviously, you are planning to
win. If everything works out for you, would you then be prepared to face him a
fourth time?
Ola Afolabi: I do not know. If
it is good business why not. But first, I would like to take on the mandatory
challenger Firat Arslan. After that, I would go for Huck again.
What will be the outcome of
June 8?
Ola Afolabi: I am not going
into the fight looking for a knockout. That would increase the risk of
over-pacing during the first few rounds. However, I see myself stopping Huck
early. Regardless of that, I am going to do whatever it takes to leave the ring
as the winner. (Source)
