A great boxing event will take place in Budapest, on the 22th of August in which, among others, three Hungarian boxers (flyweight Pal Bedak; super bantamweight WBO European Champ Zsolt Bedak, and super middleweight WBO Word Champ Karoly Balzsay) of the organizer Universum Box Promotion will step into the ring. Super middleweight champion Balzsay has been interviewed by one of the most important sport newspapers of his homeland, he talked about the upcoming event in Budapest, his challenger, and of course, the super middleweight tournament, which he won’t take part in.

By Gergely Baranyai, profiboksz.hu

Q: A super middleweight tournament, which will include six boxers, was announced on Monday, by Showtime Sports. Doesn’t it disturb you that you haven’t been invited?

A: Not really, because it’s only a show that the Americans organize for themselves.

Q: Not only for themselves. Mikkel Kessler from Denmark, Arthur Abraham from Germany, and Carl Froch from England will already take part. 

A: OK, then I explain differently. The Universum has got a contract with another TV company, so they wouldn’t have been able to get me into the event, even although if they had wanted me to take part in the tournament so much. And I’m the boxer of the Universum Box Promotion; I’m their employee, so I do the task that they assign to me. 

Q: Do you want to conquest the USA?

A: Yes, but not at all costs. But it would be great; I’m coquetting with the idea. If someone wins a great bout in the USA, his judgement will change immediately in the public eye and, what’s more important, in the eye of the experts too. 

Q: On the strength of the fact, you’re generally ranked amongst the best five boxers of the division, so you should take part in the tourney. 

A: I feel the same. Although Lucian Bute, who’s ranked higher, than I, hasn’t been invited either. He was a little bit shocked by that. 

Q: Maybe he wanted to attract attention such way. Shouldn’t you bluster at least a little bit?

A: The organizers were neither impressed by Bute. It hasn’t been said, that “Oh, God, we have Lucian here, let’s take him in, otherwise he will be huffy!” And he lives in Canada, so, he’s closer, than me, in Germany. By the way, it’s a great thing, that three boxers from Europe will take part in the event, too.

Q: If you received an offer that you should step in the tournament…

A: I would be drunk with joy and would jump and step in. 

Q: Where do you place yourself amongst the best?

A: In the middle. It cannot be said in the professional boxing, that I’m the best, and there’s no one besides me. There are only negligible differences amongst the fighters on the top of the division, and because of that, there’ll be very tough fights at the tournament. The deciding factor will be the momentary condition and the ability of adapting to the style of the rivals. 

Q: You can’t step into ring versus the top fighters in your division in the following 1,5 years.

A: It doesn’t disturb me. First of all, my goal is to defend my WBO championship for a while. By the time I’ll have defended my championship 5-6 times, the tournament is be over. By that time I can reach so good reputation, that it can be said overseas: “Let’s call this guy from Hamburg, called Balzsay, and let him show his skills!” 

Q: Was it surprising, that your opponent will be Robert Stieglitz in Budapest?

A: I believed that I’d fight him a match later, maybe in the beginning of the next year. For some years we were about to face each other, so, I was sure that sooner or later we’ll meet in the ring.

Q: So, we can say, you know him very well. Apart from this, do you have to watch his previous matches? 

A: Of course! When he faced my teammate, Lukas Wilaschek, in December, I considered him as my future rival. I don’t think he’ll be able to surprise me. 

Q: Can you handle the style of the Eastern fighters?

A: More and more. I didn’t use to like them, but I succeeded to get on to these boxers. And very good fights can be made very good matches can be fought with them, better ones, than with the crazy south-Americans. 

Q: Your bout is the main event on the 17th of August, in Budapest. 

A: I haven’t taken the fact that the whole event based on my fight. I like to box in Hungary, and I’m sure that we’ll have a great night. 

Interview by Attila Moncz