Vasili Jirov: Tell Roy Jones, Anytime, Anywhere.

By Homicide Curly

20.07 - Vasili Jirov credentials as an amateur were extraordinary. At just 16 he became a national champion. Jirov followed that accomplishment up with becoming European Champion at the young age of 18. But his most impressive feat as an amateur was not his 217-10 record or the fact that he won two Bronze Medals in two world championships, but Jirov was honored with the most prestigious award that can be bestowed on any amateur fighter and that was winning an Olympic Gold Medal at light heavyweight in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Winning the Gold Medal in an Olympic Event is what every fighter dreams of as an amateur. You would think that Jirov could not climb any higher after winning a Gold Medal, but Jirov went one step higher in being awarded the Val Baker award as the most outstanding fighter in the 1996 Olympic Games. What that translates into is, Pound for Pound, Vasilly Jirov was the best amateur fighter in the world. The Val Baker award corroborates that fact. Winning the Olympic Gold and the Vlad Baker award, what more could this fighter ask for? And what a way to conclude a brilliant amateur career!

After reaching the summit and conquering all there was to conquer as an amateur Jirov set his sites on becoming a world champion as a professional. Following his turning pro in January of 1997, Jirov would win 21 fights in the next 29 months and capture the IBF Cruiserweight World Title. Since becoming World Champion Vasilly has compiled a record of 28-0 with 26 knockouts. He has defended against and knocked out both of his number one ranked mandatories.

This Friday night Jirov will fight former World Champion, Adolpho Washington on ESPN2. Jirov and his manager Ivaylo Gotzev, are looking toward a possible September fight with former 2 time World Champion, James "Lights Out" Toney. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jirov about the Toney fight, his amateur career, the most important thing to him, his family and the one fighter who many believe is ducking him, Roy Jones Jr.

Curly: Vassily, how are you and how is your wife? I know you and your wife are expecting your first child in August

Jirov: Oh, shes great. She feels much better.They said September, looks like it is September 25th.

Curly: You must be excited.

Jirov: Oh yes, it is my first baby, we are very excited.

Curly: Congratulations.

Jirov: Thank you.

Curly: You have a fight coming up on July 20th in Canton, OH that will be televised on ESPN2 against Adolpho Washington

Jirov: Yes it is this Friday. I tell my manager you know, that it doesn't matter to me who the fighter is. Just give me the person and I will fight him.

Curly: You had a fight planned with James Toney on July 7th, with the complications from your wife's pregnancy that fight was rescheduled. Will that fight still happen?

Jirov: I hope so. We are looking at September, I am told. HBO had a lot of problems with Heavyweights and they did not know what date they had open.I will be the second guy who is given date and it takes about a couple of weeks more.

Curly: Many admire you for rescheduling the fight because your wife had complications with her pregnancy. Your family must be very important to you.

Jirov: There were several problems wrong with the July 7th date. This is boxing, fights are rescheduled, problems happen.HBO rescheduled the fight, I didn't. But when my wife became ill, she is more important to me than my career and she comes first before anything else.

Curly: I agree with you, family should come first and I think that many respect that about you.

Jirov: Thank you, yes we will fight James Toney. He is a great former champion. I have a lot of respect for James Toney. He will bring good fight to ring and give us a great fight.

Curly: Do you think Roy Jones Jr is afraid of you?

Jirov: I think so. You see the problem is I think, he can lose everything and he is not getting anything. I am a new fighter and I am happy for him, I don't know.... maybe I am a little bit dangerous... or something for him.

Curly: Roy Jones is always stating that, he doesn't want to go to Germany to fight Michalczewski, Roy says he wants Michalczewski to come here to the U.S., but you, Vassily are a fighter who lives and trains in the United States. Like Roy Jones, you are a Val Baker award winner. Roy says that your name is not recognizable, but yet Roy will turn around and fight someone like Gonzalez whom you defeated in the amateurs before winning the Gold Medal.

Jirov: Actually I beat Gonzalez in the fifth fight in the Olympic games. I took him in the third round.

Curly: And now TopRank is promoting Roy Jones. Do you think that....

Jirov: Who, who promote him?

Curly: TopRank.

Jirov: TopRank, oh I didn't know about this.

Curly: I know you are not under TopRanks banner anymore but do you think they will try to arrange that fight with you and Roy Jones?

Jirov: I would be very happy to fight him, you know anytime, its all up to him. I tell him anytime, just give me a call and tell me. We will fight tomorrow, we will fight anytime, anywhere Roy wants to.

Curly: So you will fight Roy Jones anytime, anywhere?

Jirov: Anytime, anywhere.Yes.

Curly: The general consensus is that Roy Jones will continue to ignore you. In your opinion do you see Roy Jones signing on the dotted line?

Jirov: You know its like question, if it is the right time, right money, maybe he will. But same time I hear from people, like you writers tell me he never will fight me because my power, because I have beaten a lot of fighters, you know it just is too dangerous for him. He don't want to take the chance, you know.

Curly: Roy Jones says that he is always looking for a great challenge Vassily, he says that he wants to fight at heavyweight(laughs)

Jirov: (laughs) he gets knocked out at heavyweight.

Curly: Roy Jones talks about fighting Lennox Lewis and maybe Evander Holyfield, do you think that is just a publicity stunt by him?

Jirov: I think so,he make this kind of strange statement, he maybe kind of blow his mind(laughs), I don't know what he is thinking. The guys who he wants to fight are twice his size, I think if he fights any of them,they just knock him out.

Curly: Right (laughs).

Jirov: Anybody, you know, Lennox Lewis has the power and Holyfields power. Roy is a quick guy but one punch sometimes can make the whole fight.

Curly: Exactly.

Jirov: I think he just wants to make money I think so from this fight. Just to go there and kind of show off and make a little money. I think so.

Curly: Roys handlers have said that Roy walks around about 185-190 pounds anyway, Roy talks about dropping in weight to 168. The people that know him that I have spoken with have said that is impossible, he cant drop in weight because he has a hard time making weight as it is.....

Jirov: Yes, I heard about this too, he is walking like close to 190 pounds. Several trainers have told me and my manger this. Roy would have to loose a lot of weight to make 168.

Curly: Many personalities and scribes in the fight game that I have spoken with think that you should call Roy Jones out more, saying the next time you are on television you should publicly call him out. You know Michalczewski has been doing this for a while. Michalczewski said that Roy Jones is a coward. Bernard Hopkins has expressed the same sentiments toward Roy Jones.Do you think Roy is scared to fight guys like Michalczewski? He has no excuse for not fighting you or Hopkins. You and Bernard live in the United States where as Michalczewski lives in Germany.

Jirov: Actually I do, actually I did say a lot of things the last couple of times when I was on the TV. I did invite him to fight me, but you know they showed boxing interview from him actually he said "No I'm not too concerned about fighting Vassily Jirov. He's a good fighter but ah, I don't want him as an opponent." He said that I was too big for him, you know. Before he said he would fight Holyfield or Lennox Lewis, but I am too big for him. You know what I mean? Its kind of crazy, I don't know what he is thinking.

Curly: What do you think of Michalczewski? Possible fight in the future with you?

Jirov: Maybe, yeah. I would like to fight him. I will fight anybody. He has a very strong jab. Good chin. He is underestimated here in the US.

Curly: That sounds like a great match up.

Jirov: Just give me names, give me place, bring, bring person to the ring and I will fight him, you know. I got this problems a lot of people don't want to fight. I will fight anybody.

Curly: Would you travel to Germany?

Jirov: We can make it somewhere between Germany. Maybe London or something like that. I go half way and he goes half way. Somewhere in Europe.

Curly: Unfortunately Jones will never fight Michalczewski, I don't think, and I don't think that Roy will ever step up to the plate with you, unless he is forced into it by the public. I think if the public demands this fight, and as long as you keep calling Roy out I think he will have to cave in.

Jirov: We do this already actually, my manager called and talked to Roy Jones and I, I will do this too. I will do this more and more. You see, I don't push like that. I don't want to go and say something bad about him. I will just tell him, a lot of people think he's a, they call him a chicken you know and some say much worse.

Curly: Many question Roy Jones intestinal fortitude.

Jirov: I don't do this you know, I know he is a good fighter I know he is a chicken I don't need to say it. He is just a guy who wants to make good decisions at right time, you know. We will have to wait. Wait and see what happens.

Curly: What do you think about the Klitschko brothers?

Jirov: I can say they are very good, good fighters. They have skills, they have power. They are big guys and strong. Actually I sparred against both of the Klitschkos in my amateur career, it was pretty good, nice experience. I see them like they were good amateur skilled guys you know who are now good pros. They have good power and nice size, you know the size help them to win a lot of fights.

Curly: Are you very happy living in the United States?

Jirov: Yeah. Pretty happy.

Curly: Is your family living over here? Or have your mother, brothers and sisters came to the US?

Jirov: Actually my brother and my mother have both been here, it was an enjoyable time for them and now they are back home and happy to have a nice life there too. Maybe someday somebody else from my family comes here, I don't know.

Curly: Do you become home sick?

Jirov: I do sometimes, you know I do sometimes but mostly, right now it is much easier because I have a family here, I have happy marriage, and I expect now to have a child. I am actually pretty happy. Right now this year.

Curly: Is there any future fights with Juan Carlos Gomez or Virgil Hill?

Jirov: Actually I just talked to my promoter a few minutes ago, before you called me, he told me next year he thinks we will fight Virgil Hill.

Curly: Virgil Hill.

Jirov: Yeah.

Curly: Do you think that Virgil is a little too past his prime?

Jirov: You know he is maybe past but still, you know he, you know he how do you say, he is old horses.....

Curly: Hard to beat? Right.

Jirov: Yeah hard to beat. He has skills you know? He's a smart guy, hes a long time in the boxing business. He knows how to fight. I am expecting a good fight. If he come,he step on the ring with me I expect a good fight.

Curly: You're fighting and living in Arizona, in the United States, do you think a lot of people know that you were the Val Baker award winner in the '96 Olympics in Atlanta?

Jirov: No, not many people know about this. They know that I won a gold medal but a lot of people don't know about I won the best boxer award in the Olympics. A lot of people don't know this.

Curly: I think your credentials as an amateur were outstanding Vissily. You were a great amateur fighter...

Jirov: Thank you, it was a good time for me.

Curly: I think you have become a tremendous pro, a throw back to the old days. You have a lot more fans out there than you actually know, Vissily. There are a lot of fight fans out there who really back you that you are not aware of. I know myself, I am a personal fan of yours....

Jirov: Well thank you...

Curly: Many scribes have wrote in the last several months that you are going to have a very bright future. Cant argue with this.....

Jirov:(laughs)

Curly: you are a tremendous puncher, from my point of view I think that is the reason that Roy Jones has not gotten in the ring with you, he knows it is not going to be a walk in the park with you. Roy fights a lot of hand picked fighters but he hasn't picked you because he knows it is going to be a tremendous fight and he doesn't want a hard fight.

Jirov: Oh I know. I thought one of the reasons that he wont take a punch or to take a fight with me is because he saw one of his friends die in the ring after a fight. It was recently and he is also afraid because people actually take a lot of punches in the ring. After seeing this, he kind of stepped back and looked at his life, the things, he don't want to finish the same way. Roy is a good business man.

Curly: If you had one thing to say to Roy Jones what would you like to say to him?

Jirov: Just tell him I am ready to fight him anytime, anywhere. Just give me a call anytime, just make arrangements... we step on the ring and see who is the best, you know. Because he was the '88 Olympics best boxer and I was '96 Olympics best boxer so we will see who is the best right now in the professionals. That's it....

Curly: Vassily, it has been a pleasure, and congratulations again on your wife and your child you are expecting in September and I wish nothing but the best for you.

Jirov: Thank you. Thank you very much.

THE CURLY FACTOR:
When Vissily Jirov received his Arizona drivers license after moving to the US following the '96 Olympics, he would display it to everyone as proudly as he did his Gold Medal. Vassily was proud to be in America. He was now in the land of opportunity. Within months Jirov signed a promotional deal with Bob Arum's Top Rank. One could say that Jirov was well on his way to his dream, being financially secure. Isn't this every fighters goal? But the road hasn't been an easy one for Jirov. Despite winning Olympic Gold, the Outstanding fighter of the games award at the '96 Olympics, and finally moving to Scottsdale, Arizona Jirov finds himself still fighting for recognition here in the United States. Arum was unable to market him in the U.S. Why? That is a damn good question! Vissily has a formidable record as a world champion, and with the Gold Medal and the Val Baker award Jirov should have been promoted in the same manner that Roy Jones and Oscar DeLaHoya have been. Jirov doesn't complain, he says that his riches are down the road. He maybe right. Jirov recently made a promotional deal with Panos Eliades of London. With the James Toney fight in September, Jirov may finally be reaping his rewards.

In era where it is very common for fighters to trash talk each other, Jirov is an exception. In speaking with Jirov I found him to be extremely honest. Family and honor were first and foremost with him. He would never disgrace himself or family by taking part in trash talking. Sadly the same can not be said about Roy Jones Jr. No matter how many rap songs or videos Roy puts together he will never get the respect that he is looking for until he receives a very seriously needed coronary transplant.

"Ya'll Must Have Forgot" Roy Jones has no heart!

ON THE CANVAS:
Max Kellerman, arrogant, idiotic, self centered, egotistical, delusional buffoon who believes because he has a microphone and a viewing audience he is able to deceive these viewers with out repercussions. Kellermans latest debauchery had to do with one of the alphabet belts called the WBO. Kellerman told his viewing audience that the WBO title was created for Universum. After hearing this deceptive remark from Kellerman,I thought the The Federal Bureau of Investigation shouldn't be investigating ESPN executive Bob Yalen for Anti-Trust Violations but instead should be looking into their practices of employing incompetent, half witted, morons such as Kellerman.

Max Kellerman has an obligation to be honest with his viewers instead of misleading them as he does week in and week out.

No the WBO was not created for Universum, Max. The WBO was created in 1988, Universum never had a WBO champion until 1993. The first WBO champion who was managed by Universum was Markus Bott in 1993.

In fact Max, many of the first WBO champions were Americans, something that you neglected to tell your viewers. Michael Moorer, who became WBO light heavyweight champion, and Doug DeWitt who defeated Robby Sims, (Marvin Haglers half brother) for the WBO middleweight title were among the first WBO champions ever.

It is not hard to check your facts Max.

Note: Mr. Homicide Curly is an award winning writer, he can be reached with your comments at homicidecurly@yahoo.com