When and why you started boxing:
I’ve always been very active. I played a lot of football when I was young and also did Taekwondo for a few years. I started to box at 13. My friends and I used to play football at a youth club which also offered boxing classes. I tried it one day and fell in love with it pretty quickly.
Favourite all-time fighter:
Evander Holyfield. He always managed to come back from defeat, even at an advanced age. I also liked his style.
Best fight you’ve seen:
That’s got to be the third fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier – the Thrilla in Manila.
Personal career highlight:
Becoming the inaugural APB [AIBA Pro Boxing] super-heavyweight champion [by unanimously outpointing Mohammed Arjaoui over eight rounds in January 2015].
Toughest opponent:
Mihai Nistor. I boxed him four times – I won twice and lost twice. The last fight we had was for the APB title in [September] 2015, where he beat me via stoppage [in the ninth round]. Looking back, I didn’t prepare enough for that fight and underestimated him.
Best and worst attributes as a boxer:
My main strengths are that I’m always motivated and I always put in 100 per cent effort both in training and in fights. Even on a bad day, I try to get the best results possible. My weakness is that I can be too impatient at times.
Training tip:
Always listen to your coach and don’t try to argue with him.
Favourite meal/restaurant:
My favourite meal is spaghetti Bolognese made by my wife, Lena. My favourite restaurant is Altes Rathaus in Lohne, Germany.
Best friends in boxing:
Daniel Keim, who’s an old friend from school. When I’m with my parents in Vechta [in Germany], I train at his gym. He even built a boxing room there, exclusively for me.
Other sportsman you would like to be:
Perhaps a bodybuilder.
Last film/TV show you saw:
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. I didn’t like it as much as the previous two films.
Who would play you in a film of your life:
Jason Statham because some people say that I look like him when I have short hair.
Last time you cried:
That was a long time ago.
Worst rumour about yourself:
There has probably been a few, but I’ve never really cared what other people say about me.
