04.09.06 – Among Sauerland´s boxers Nikolai Valuev and Arthur Abraham, who defend their titles soon, mainly one man is the focus of attention at the historic boxing team from Berlin: Markus Beyer, the super middleweight WBC champion. Beyer is a popular man for the Danish and International media. Being interviewed he talks about the fight against Kessler on October 14, his career and his aims..
Markus, the probably hardest and most important fight of your career is waiting. How do you feel six weeks before?
Beyer: I feel great. Preparation time was all right and went without any problems, I´m fit and things are going ahead well every day. We finished the basic training. Therefore we´ve been at our training camp in Zinnowitz and at the sports school in Kienbaum. Now the specific preparation to the fight starts. Around about the 20th September I will start sparring.
How much do you know about your world champion colleague Mikkel Kessler?
Beyer: Of course Mikkel is a big name for every boxing fan worldwide. I´ve seen him on videos and exactly studied him. My coach Ulli Wegner has seen him live in Denmark. My knowledge about Kessler is quite huge.
What is your strategy for the fight?
Beyer: (smiling) Well, I guess just one strategy will be too little for such a compact fighter like Kessler. There are many roads to success. If I see plan A not working out there will also be plan B. And maybe plan C. (again smiling)
Is Kessler going to be your best opponent so far?
Beyer: That´s hard to say in advance. There were a few good opponents – but Kessler will definitely be one of the most difficult ones.
How do you expect the fight to go?
Beyer: Mikkel Kessler isn´t a finisher who straightaway hits someone hard even though his fight record shows many knockouts. I guess he wants to build up the fight in order to wear me down. But I´m prepared for that.
Are you going to retire in case you lose?
Beyer: I never think about a defeat, but I do this time. That´s why it doesn´t come into question. However I´ve reached a boxing age where it doesn´t make sense at all to plan ahead long-term. One fight comes after the other one. Maybe it could happen that this is my last fight but maybe one or more will follow. I´d like to leave that open for the time being.
Have you already devised a plan for your life after the career?
Beyer: My partner Danii and I founded the company „12rounds“ which attends to sports men and artists in every field – internet, marketing, sponsoring, public relations. That´s what I can imagine well for the future. Moreover there are many social projects. One of them is „Buddy Kids“. We attend to children and give them mental strength and self-confidence with the help of combative sports. We also work a lot with handicapped persons. Furthermore I still will be the ARD´s expert fort he broadcast „Boxen im Ersten“.
Is it possible to see Markus Beyer as a coach in the future?
Beyer: (shaking his head and smiling) Under no circumstances. That´s too stressful.
Which one was your career´s best fight?
Beyer: There are two of them I´d say in retrospect. In 1999 it´s been a perfect fit at my first title win against Richie Woodhall in England. But from today´s point of view the second fight against Dany Green is much more valuable. Everbody had already given up on me but I came back.
And the worst one?
Beyer: The most unsatisfactory fight was the last one against Sakio Bika. I couldn´t find my rhythm, the fight didn´t develop and it was early finished by the cut after the butt. Even though I kept my title by managing a draw it wasn´t a great ending for me and my fans.
What are your plans for private life?
Beyer: My girlfriend Danii and me will definitely marry somewhen. But we need time for that. We want to get children, too. But of course we will also keep our animals, our dogs and cats.
Do you believe in God?
Beyer: No, I don´t. There are a few rituals, maybe you can call it superstition. But there´s no religious affiliation.
What do you feel on your way into the ring?
Beyer: (considering) Not much. I´m totally focused on the fight. I´m not aware of the music or the audience. Sometimes there are a few thoughts in my mind but it´s more like a flash. Otherwise there´s nothing around me.
Markus, thank you very much for the conversation and all the best for the fight.