BBN goes 12 Rounds with Karl Ozimkowski
BBN pay a visit to Polish welterweight, Carl ‘The Doctor’ Ozimkowski 0-2-0 who is all set to make his professional boxing comeback after a six year break against Mick Mills 0-4(3)-0 at London’s York Hall on November 29 on the Goodwin Promotions show dubbed ‘Under Starters Orders’.
The Goodwin Promotions show in association with Kevin Campion presents an action packed night with a whopping 18 scheduled fights featuring some of the brightest young talent from the country’s capital. ‘The Doctor’ enlightened us on how he first got into boxing, his proudest moments, and keeping it all a secret from his dear old mum!
Tell us what got you into boxing back in your native country of Poland? “When I first started back home in Poland, I was 13, I was always fighting with my older brother who was 20 at the time. The first club I went to was kick-boxing because my mum wouldn’t allow me to go to boxing so I went kick-boxing instead. My mum said that she didn’t want me to get hit in the face so much but now she’s my number one supporter! My trainer there convinced me to go boxing because I had a natural ability but my mum wasn’t keen. She didn’t know about my first fight in boxing because I told her it was a kick-boxing fight and when I won it, I told her that actually it was boxing and she was ok.”
What did you achieve as an amateur? “I started to do kick-boxing and boxing at the same time, I won national tournaments back home, won five national titles in kick-boxing, the Europeans in kick-boxing and all kinds of international tournaments in boxing. My proudest moment was when I won one of the international tournaments. In the semi-final, I boxed some tough Ukrainian kid, rated one of the best, and in the final I boxed a top Polish kid and won. In the UK, I boxed in many competitions and was very proud to be represent London and boxed for England twice. I got to the Haringey Box Cup finals in 2010 after I went back to the amateurs. In the final, I boxed someone from Portsmouth and it was very close, it could have gone either way.”
You train with Alec Wilkey in Poplar who is building a growing set of talented fighters in his stable, what’s it like to be part of that set-up? “Best team I could dream of! I’m glad, we’re a really close team and Alec Wilkey treats us really good. He spends a lot of time with us in the gym but also outside of the gym as well. Over the last four to five months, my boxing has completely changed and my style has changed. I’m the fittest I’ve ever been.”
Who gives you hardest tests in sparring? “Lenny Daws. I’ve learnt a lot from him from sharing the ring with someone who is so good, I’ve learnt so much. I have the best sparring with Johnny Coyle, a Prizefighter champion and one of the best southpaws in the country. He is the most awkward southpaw I’ve ever shared the ring with and get the most valuable lessons from him.”
Tell us about that debut fight against unbeaten KO artist Badru Lusambya? “I didn’t even know who I was boxing. My previous manager said to me that I’ll have a normal kid, nothing special. In the ring, waiting for him, the announcer read the record and I thought, “hang on, 16 wins with 15 KO’s and he’s nothing special?!” I saw his face and recognised him from boxing magazines but I thought that I’d give it a go. I gave it my best and caught him good in the third round to push him back a bit, but he was far more experienced and won on points.”
You was then disappointed after losing a second time in a close fight with Portsmouth’s Johnny Creamer? “I thought I won that fight and after that I decided to come back to the amateurs. I felt stitched up and didn’t want to become a journeyman. It’s not all about the money, it’s about the career for me.”
How did you feel after those first two losses in the pro’s? “I was always dreaming of being a pro and it felt like someone had ruined my dreams. I shouldn’t have been in the ring with those guys for the first two fights but I’m happy where I am with my new manager, Alec Wilkey and I’ve got best people around me and got a lot better following now.”
Tell us about your next fight and what do you know of your opponent? “All I know is that he is a southpaw and there’s no way this guy will be better than Johnny Coyle. I’ve already won this fight from what I’ve done in the gym, I just need to get in there and do the business. I’ve been training with Alec Wilkey since May so I’m just sharpening up now and the weight is pretty much there, I always keep a healthy lifestyle even when I don’t box, I don’t have Chinese takeaways or fast food. Hopkins is the perfect example really. I weigh more or less my fight weight all the time.”
This time round, if the last minute fights come up, will you still take them? “If my manager tells me that I can beat them then I will do as told. Before, I was younger and foolish and I should have demanded more things and looked after myself more, but if Alec Wilkey says I can beat them then I’ll do it. I’ve got a lot of trust in my team. My last manager, I didn’t feel that trust but with Alec, it’s there.”
Have you been helping Danny Connor prepare for Prizefighter and would you take part if it ever gets offered? “I’ve been training and sparring him and I think he’s got a good chance of winning it. I think I prefer longer distance fights so I don’t think it’ll suit my style but if I ever had the chance then, yeah, I would probably give it a go. I suppose with the training that you can change to the style doing three rounds and adapting to it.”
What do you hope to achieve as a professional boxer? “Second time around and you only have one life so I’m sacrificing everything I can. I don’t want to say that I want to win this and want to win that, I just want to be a top UK fighter and have the opportunities there. I can box for British titles now because this time around I’ve got a British passport. It’s the most beautiful belt going and everyone wants it.”
Any message for the fans? All I can say is thank you for the support, if it wasn't for you the fights wouldn’t go ahead, spending their hard earned money to come and watch me box I won’t let you down."
For tickets to the show call 07922 843 199 or visit http://carlthedoctor.com/
As well as standard unreserved and reserved ringside tickets there are also VIP tickets priced at £100 which includes a guaranteed reserved ringside seat in rows 1 and 2 together with a free private bar from 5pm until 7.30pm with food snacks included.
To follow Carl ‘The Doctor’ on Twitter click here @CarlTheDoctor Carl would like to thank his sponsors; ID Block, No.1 Fitness, Body by Nature Supplements, Aggressive Art and PR Manager Tim Rickson