Kudratillo Abdukakhorov Interview: Bring on the Welterweight Champions!
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In a Real Combat Media international interview exclusive, world-ranked top ten welterweight Kudratillo ‘The Punisher’ Abdkakhorov, celebrating his tenth round points technical decision win over former world welterweight champion Luis Collazo at Temple University’s Liacouras Center this past weekend, is calling out the top welterweights in the division. The interview was conducted by telephone from Boston’s Logan Airport with Abdukakhorov and members of his team. Kudratillo, 17-0 with nine knockouts, Qorgontepa, Ukbekistan, had his answers translated from Uzbek into English by his manager, Vikram Siva. Luis Collazo incurred an accidental headbutt cut in the eighth round, which forced the bout to go to the scorecards, won by Kudratillo.
Robert B: “Kudratiullo, how do you feel about fighting in the United States? Your first 15 bouts were not in this country, and then you came over to Philadelphia to fight. Do you feel you have been treated fairly over here?”
Kudratillo A: “Very good! Boxing is very popular in the United States. I like fighting in the USA. In Philadelphia, being the co-feature at Liacouras Center on ESPN. I am very happy about it.”
Robert B: “What did you think about (former world welterweight champion) Luis Collazo? Was he a good opponent? He came in (against you and tried) to win/”
Kudratillo A: “Yes. He was a very good opponent.”
Robert B: “Kudratillo, you have said you would like to fight Errol Spence Jr. However, Errol Spence has been in a car accident as we know (he crashed his Ferrari), and has sustained injuries which may keep him out of boxing for a period of time in the future. Given that, Kudratillo, would you be willing to fight for some sort of a vacant world title or interim world title with the World Boxing Council or the International Boxing Federation?”
Kudratillo A: “I am the mandatory challenger for the IBF World Welterweight title held by Spence.”
Robert B: “But if Spence is injured, you might have to fight somebody else like Shawn Porter or Amir Khan. Would you take a vacant title fight if Spence (turns out not to be) is not available (to fight in the near future)?”
Kudratillo A: “Yes, I would take a vacant world title fight if it is offered to me.”
Robert B: “Looking around the welterweight division, World Boxing Organization World Welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford has now fought since defeating Amir Khan this past April (2019). Have you and your team discussed the possibility of fighting Crawford?”
Kudratillo A: “Terence Crawford is scheduled to defend his WBO title in a mandatory defense on the 17th of December.”
Robert B: “What about a fight between you and some of the other contenders in the division, such as Sergey Lipinets, ex-champions Keith Thurman and Adrien Broner, and David Avanesyan or Rances Barthalemy?”
Kudratillo A: “Top Rank is our promoter, and we probably will be fighting again in February 2020, maybe against someone like Jose Benavidez Jr. This is what the IBF has told us (while Spence heals from car his accident injuries), that I am free to take as many fights as we want while we negotiate the mandatory (title opportunity we are guaranteed). We (my team) is free to take as many fights as we want until the Spence situation is resolved. The (the IBF) might vacant the world welterweight title, and have me fight for the vacant IBF world title against the next best contender.”
Robert B: “Spence might be declared a champion in recess, in a situation similar to that World heavyweight champion Dr. Vitali Klitschko went through some years back when he temporarily retired due to injuries. The WBC and the IBF world title belts are what you Are looking for. Kudratillo, previously you held the WBC Silver welterweight title. Why didn’t you hold on to that belt? Why didn’t you keep it?”
Kudratillo A: “The WBC wanted me to vacant the WBC Silver belt so I could fight Shawn Porter. But Porter didn’t want anything to do with me, and he decided to fight Adrian Granados (instead). So, I claimed the WBC Silver Welterweight title back. I vacated the WBC Silver belt against so I could fight Jesse Vargas, but Vargas did not want to fight me either.”
Robert B: “Kudratillo, you have no Olympic amateur background. How did you feel going from amateur to pro fighting in Uzbekistan? Tell me about your road to the top.”
Kudratillo A: “In Uzbekistan, amateur boxing with Olympic gold medals gets you a lot of recognition. This was something I could not achieve, so I pursued a professional boxing career to bring a world title back home to Uzbekistan.”
Robert B: “Who is someone (a welterweight) you would really like to fight?”
Kurdatillo A: “I want Errol Spence. I feel I can beat Errol Spence. Spence is the most recognized welterweight in the world. Spence is the best (fighter in the 147 pound division) out there. ”
Robert B: “Who else would you fight out there if it wasn’t Spence?”
Kudratillo A: “I want to fight either Spence or Crawford next, the two best welterweights out there now. I will fight anybody? Just give me anybody, and I will fight them.”
Robert B: “Who is training you now?”
Kudratillo A: “My coach is Ilgar Aliev.”
Robert B: “Do you wish to relocate in the United States to train?”
Kudratillo A: “After the Luis Collazo fight (this past weekend, which I won), I decided immediately afterward with my team that I want to stay in the United States for more professional-style training. I have looked at some American coaches, Ishmael Salas and Robert Garcia for example. I have been to Robert Garcia’s gym. I sparred at top Rank’s gym with Vergil Ortiz and Yordenis Ugas there (in 2017).”
Robert B: “Back in 2017, you had a point deducted in the seventh round after an accidental clash of heads against Dmitriy Mikhailenko? And then, in your fight with Luis Collazo yesterday, you had another clash of heads and another person got cut (Collazo). Do you feel your opponents, in desperation, might be getting a little bit dirty?”
Kudratillo A: “My bout with Mikhailenko was a WBC Silver title bout, and the WBC deducted a point from me. The WBC rules state in a title bout if one person gets hurt due to an accidental clash the person who is not cut loses a point. That is the WBC rules. Collazo’s boxing style is to come inside and lean with his head. I was prepared for that.”
Robert B: “How soon will you come back. Are you going back into training right away? In the next couple weeks?”
Kudratillo A: “I will be back in training in the United States in a few weeks. I have a wife and a two-year-old son I am going home to now. My wife is like a soldier, she knows I am doing what I have to do. Nowadays, with technology, we can see each other and talk to each other all the time no matter where I am training.”
Robert B: “After you are a world champion, do you think you will relocate your family to the United States to be with you, like Gennady Golovkin and Sergey Kovalev have done?”
Kudratillo A: “Yes, definitely.”
Robert B: “How did it feel being televised (around the world on ESPN), and was this a good experience for you?”
Kudratillo A: “Yes, definitely. Being on ESPN made me feel like a superstar. I got into the room (after the bout) and cameras were there, lights were there. It was a fantastic experience, and people now us now. At Logan Airport, people recognized us (after I was on ESPN).”
Robert B: “When you go home (now to Uzbekistan), are you like a national hero (when you go) back in Uzbekistan?”
Kudratillo A: “Yes, this (the Collazo bout) was the bout which got me recognition. I was the WBC Silver champion three times, but it did not get me recognition. Immediately after I beat Collazo, the television networks were calling us, and the Olympic Council called us. They were asking me when I was coming home, (and they stated) we are going to wait for you to arrive.”
Robert B: “Were there any other world champions out of Uzbekistan?”
Kudratillo A: “Artur Gregorian (lightweight) and Ruslan Chagaev (heavyweight) of Uzbekistan both held world titles.”
Robert B: “What inspires you to be a boxer? What motivates you to desire to become a world champion?”
Kudratillo A: “For my country.”
Robert B: “Kudratillo, you saw the first world heavyweight title bout between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua. Of course, you saw the short fighter (Ruiz) Against the taller fighter (Joshua). Ruiz only fights on the inside, and Joshua did not know how to turn him, and fought Ruiz on the outside. What did you learn from the Ruiz-Joshua that you were able to add to your own experience?”
Kudratillo A: “Ruiz fights on the inside all the time. From Joshua I picked up (how he uses the) the jab. Not defense (defensive skills).”
Robert B: “What does Joshua have to do to have a better chance against Ruiz in the (upcoming) rematch?”
Kudratillo A: “Joshua should keep jabbing, keep his distance, and try not to engage (Ruiz) too much. Ruiz will get tired from the eighth round on.”
Robert B: “Luis Collazo was cutting off the ring, slugging with you. Did Collazo give you trouble?”
Kudratillo A: “Collazo cut off the ring, but did not have the speed to work with it. This gave me the chance to move (away). Collazo (still) had a nice counter right hook.”
Robert B: “A lot of your fight with Collazo was in the center of the ring. Is this where you like to fight your opponents?”
Kudratillo A: “I love to fight in the center of the ring.”
Robert B: “Did Luis Collazo change your manner of thinking in terms of being more defensive and more aggressive (as a fighter)?”
Kudratillo A: “My movement inside the ring. I learned a lot from this fight. I realize I have a lot of shortcomings which Collazo exposed which I can improve upon.”
Robert B: “After Collazo had his right eye lid cut after the accidental clash of heads in the eighth round, did you find Collazo was more aggressive to try to win by knockout “or stoppage? How did Collazo respond to the cut?”
Kudratillo A: “Collazo became much more aggressive after he was cut. He was trying to go for the knockout. There was no way he (Collazo) could continue (beyond a certain point). That was a horrible cut (which Collazo got).”
Robert B: “What did you think of referee Benjy Esteves? He warned you several times.”
Kudratillo A: “I think he was a good referee.”
Robert B: “Are there any fighters in the United States, Europe or the world who have called you out, stating they will go anywhere to fight you?”
Kudratilo A: “Rico Mueller of Germany wants to fight me. All he wants is a payday.”.
Robert B: “Well, Mueller lost his last bout for the vacant IBO World Super Lightweight title against a 24-0 fighter in Germany. Mueller is unknown outside of his native Germany, and did not even offer a European title bout with you. Mueller, 25-3-1 with 17 knockouts, brings nothing to the table.”
Kudratillo A: “We (my team) offered a fight to NABA and WBO International titleholder Custio Clayton of Canada when I had the WBC Silver title (Clayton is the WBO number one contender). Clayton would not fight me.”
Robert B: “Clayton also held the IBF Inter-Continental Welterweight belt at one time. That belt is now vacant and available, if you want to fight for an IBF welterweight belt while the world titles are in recess.”
Vikram Seva, Manager: “Right now, we (Kudratillo’s team) have to see how long Errol Spence Jr. will be out (of boxing with his injuries). If he cannot fight, as the manager (of Kudratillo) I am going to petition the IBF for a vacant interim title bout and the name of a challenger (for us), who’s at least ranked in the top three or top four among welterweights for the world title. Or, we might fight a few fights while Spence waits to recover. We have to wait (to see what happens). If not, we may have to take a few fights to improve our marketability for the (next) U.S. bout, even if we have to wait nine or ten months.”
Robert B: “Could the interim title opponent (your next bout) be Jose Benavides Jr. (the proposed name), Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, or Shawn Porter?”
Kudratillo A: “I am willing to fight anyone next! I will fight anybody! When the WBC said vacate the WBC Silver title so I could fight Shawn Porter, I vacated it. My team told the WBC just set the bout up, and we will fight Shawn Porter for free! Just give us Porter! Porter didn’t want to fight me. I am not a name, so that’s why we (my team) want big name opponents as we want to create a name for ourselves. If it is not Errol Spence Jr. next, then I will fight Jose Benavidez or anyone next!”
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