Mehdi Bouadla (26-4, 11 KOs) will be travelling to Nuremberg, Germany next
week with a lot of self-confidence. The man from France will take on WBO
Super-Middleweight World Champion Arthur Abraham (35-3, 27KOs) on December
15. And the 30-year-old is prepared to cause a big upset in his first world
title bout. Although his training schedule keeps him very busy, he managed
to take out some time for a quick interview.
Mehdi Bouadla, you are currently riding on a wave of success. You won all of
your last four fights. How are you feeling ahead of December 15?
Mehdi Bouadla: Of course, I am feeling really good. My last bouts all went
to my full satisfaction. But I will feel a lot better once December 15 is
over and I am able to wear that WBO Belt around my waist.
The last time you found yourself on the losing side of a fight was against
Denmark´s Mikkel Kessler back in June 2011. What went wrong for you back
then?
Mehdi Bouadla: Kessler, who was boxing in front of his home crowd, was the
better boxer that night. It is as simple as that.
Did you learn any valuable lessons from that fight, something that might
help you against Arthur Abraham?
Mehdi Bouadla: Kessler and Abraham are two real champions. But that is the
only thing they have in common. Of course, I took something out of the fight
in Copenhagen, but I was a good boxer before that night anyways. The bout
against Abraham will be something completely different, as his style is
completely different to Kessler´s. The preparation for Nuremberg is going
really well. The training is very intense but that is the way it is supposed
to be.
Where do you see the strengths as well as the weaknesses of your opponent?
Mehdi Bouadla: I know that it won’t be easy against Abraham. He has tons of
experience and participated in many world title fights. Therefore, he knows
what the pressure feels like. You will understand that I cannot talk about
his weaknesses. I will reveal them to everyone watching the fight on
December 15.
What will your days leading up to the big night look like for you?
Mehdi Bouadla: We have almost completed my sparring and will travel to
Germany on Tuesday. Once we get there, I will try to relax and just keep my
focus. But it is always like that ahead of a fight. It has become part of my
routine.
What kind of person are you outside of the squared circle? What do you like
to do during your spare time?
Mehdi Bouadla: When I am not inside the gym of my hometown of Aulnay sous
Bois, I like to be around my family and friends. There is nothing better
than surrounding yourself with your loved ones. I also enjoy watching good
movies and sports in general.
What will be the outcome of the world championship bout on December 15? Will
it go the distance?
Mehdi Bouadla: Unfortunately, I can’t predict the future so I am not able to
tell you the way the fight will end. But I can promise you one thing: I will
definitely give it my all. No matter if the fight goes the distance or not.
I will push him from start to finish.
Tickets for the big fight night in Nuremberg are available at www.eventim.de
and www.boxen.com.
