Fighting Talk with Kerry Hope

As you can imagine I am very pleased to welcome Kerry Hope to Box.kom. At the recent War of the Roses, he lit up the undercard with an explosive performance against Grzegorz Proska ((see full fight at the bottom of this interview).

B: First of all, Kerry thanks for agreeing to this interview and congratulations on an amazing Rocky-style victory last weekend in your fight against Grzegorz Proska.

KH: Your welcome

B: How confident were you of victory before the fight?

KH: As I have told many people, everybody that night thought Proksa was going to do a number on me, but I myself and my trainer and my team mates had a different viewing on how the fight was going to go. We were confident knowing how hard I train and how fit and strong I am that we were going to win. And I won the fight with just four wks of preparation. Proksa would see me a different fighter if I had a full 10/12 wk training camp.

B: What was your fight plan?

KH: To win!! I was always going to approach the fight respecting Proksa’s punch power but not in the sense I was going to go gun shy and take a payday, I have to much heart and pride for such a thing. The first few rounds were going to be a cautious approach and then up the tempo come later, but im fit enough to take the pace right from first bell.

B: Was there a point in the fight when you no longer felt the audience saw you as an underdog?

KH: Not at all because he was a Matchroom fighter and was always going to be favourite to win either way. But I do feel the audience that night gave me acknowledgement and respect for the fight I put on being such a big underdog. Was such a great atmosphere and I hope I can fight in Sheffield again sometime.

B: As the new European Middleweight titleholder, what are your plans for the coming year?

KH: I want to stay busy, if my career hadn’t have had so many twists and turns and setbacks I’d of had another dozen fights by now. But that’s life and since joining my trainer Karl Ince and Manager Steve Woods I cant tell you how much I appreciate what they have done for me.

B: How did you first become involved in boxing?

KH: I watched a Rocky film haha. Im from a fighting town called Merthyr Tydfil and everyman and his dog has probably boxed at some point here. But within my family itself are a number of boxers and I think it give me the extra urge to go to the boxing gym, and when I sit back and reflect at what I have gone through to get where I am today I feel an extremely proud man.

B: What decided you to turn pro?

KH" It gets to a stage in the amateurs that you struggle to get fights, plus I didn’t have enough room for anymore trophies haha but I wanted to try myself in the paid ranks. I love a challenge!!

B: Which boxers have inspired you most in your boxing career and style?

KH: I have so many boxers who inspire me for their different attributes, Sugar Ray Leonard from the past but these days I like Miguel Cotto, Sergio Martinez being another southpaw and obviously Mayweather and Pacquiao.

B: There seems to be a surge of welsh champions and boxers of note lately. Is there anyone that you feel we should be watching from the valleys right now?

KH: There are a lot of good Welsh fighters. I suppose my old stablemate turned trainer Gary Lockett is training a few of the up and comers that’ll be making names for themselves shortly. But Welsh boxing as a whole is on a high and it’s good to see. I’d like to wish them all the best in 2012.

B: How do you mentally prepare for a fight?

KH: I prepare myself mentally by being physically fit and I feel that is the best going into a fight knowing you are in shape to give it your best.

B: Can you outline a typical training day? 

Gym in the morning for 2-3 hrs depending on what we’re doing, and then running or circuits for second session few hrs later. Sometimes it’s other way round.

B: What aspect of training do you least enjoy and why?

KH: Tracksprints are my least favourable don’t know why because I’m not that bad at them, although the 400m world record is not in any immediate danger. I’m better at long distance running, it’s good prep when I run back in Wales with all the hills.

B: What would you say are your greatest strengths as a boxer?

KH: I know I have a big heart and a good chin and they are two attributes you cant give a fighter. So to have them both is a blessing, but to go with them I am very determined. But what I haven’t shown yet is how good I can box, because I have a very good boxing brain which sometimes I don’t use.

B: What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting boxing with regard to choosing a gym etc?

KH: Boxing is a very dedicated sport and sometimes can be quite lonely when your in training and all your mates are enjoying themselves, but it’s a great way to learn self discipline and get fit.

Kerry Hope vs Tony Hill

B: Who has been your toughest opponent so far (pro or amateur) and why?

KH: On the way over to America I picked up a chest infection, the doctors told me that I’d probably got it from germs on the plane and it was a mild form of pneumonia so they put me on antibiotics. But a few days after I came off them I was offered a fight on a Goldenboy show in LA. The guy I fought was very tough and the fact that I couldn’t breathe properly made it 10 times harder but still id have to put that night up with one of my toughest fights.

B: You have quite a strong online presence and make use of social media such as Facebook and twitter. How do you feel this can help a boxer with his career?

KHI only went on facebook because a friend set it up for me, but it’s a great way to help with selling tickets for fights and publicizing interviews or fight footage. Twitter on the other hand is my preference, I use it a lot more and its great to be able to chat with other fighters or general boxing fans. I can’t reply to everyone because I'd take up the entire timeline but I really appreciate people following me.

B: Who would you most like to fight against and why?

KH: Any of the current World Champions because when I walked into a gym as a youngster I always aspired to be a World Champion. I’d just love the opportunity to fight for the WBC it’s my favourite belt, Chavez Jr is the current holder so I’d welcome that or Felix Sturm.

B: Before signing off is there anything you would like to say to your fans reading this interview?

KH: I’d just like to thank everyone for the support they’ve given me in my career through both the good times and the bad, and I hope winning the European title can be used as a thank you to them. I hope they continue to support me in my future fights, thanks again

B: Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed, mate. I hope you have a great year ahead and get some of the fights you deserve.

Grzegorz Proksa vs Kerry Hope