“I’m a normal kid who wants to be champ someday…I will go to Canada,
England, or anywhere and fight anybody for a world championship.”
Interview by Sam Geraci
The following interview took place on July 14, 2012, at Fonfara’s Hyper
Fight Club http://hyperfightclub.com/ at 2919 W. Wesley TR, Schiller
Park, IL 60176
*SG: Again, congrats on an exciting fight and a terrific win and thank you
for taking the time as you said you would at the weigh-in to talk about the
fight today. *
Fonfara: No problem
* *
*SG: Going back to the weigh-in, at the weigh-in I watched you as you sit
focused basically by yourself while your team was running around and doing
most of the talking while the other fighters joked and took pictures. At
the time, I wanted to ask you some questions but I didn’t want to say
anything to affect your focus on what was your biggest fight thus far. So,
I will now. What were you thinking at the weigh-in? What was going through
your head?*
Fonfara: I was just focused on the fight you know. I wasn’t thinking about
anything but the fight. I wanted the time to go by faster because I wanted
to get into the ring with Johnson. I was sitting there playing out the
whole fight in my head. The whole time I was thinking about his style and
how I was going to match it. I was visualizing the whole fight.
*SG: Before the fight, what did you think was going to be the key?*
Fonfara: Jab, move my feet, and use combinations. If I used only one shot
at a time I knew it wouldn’t be enough. Even when I caught him with just
the jab or the right hand it wasn’t enough. He has good defense and a good
chin so I had to use combinations. He can block one or two punches but if I
throw four or five punch combinations he can’t block it all and then I had
to follow up with the jab again after and move my legs the whole fight.
*SG: How was your focus leading up to this fight? Did you prepare any
differently?*
Fonfara: No, No. I always do the same thing. I am very disciplined with my
training and with my team and family’s help. Breakfast, rest, workout, my
father’s pasta for dinner, after dinner I always walk around my house, and
then rest, and get ready to do it all again.
*SG: How is your relationship with your father and your family?*
Fonfara: Very close. Before I prepare for this fight and every fight my
father and my whole family always help. We are very close. My brother is my
manager and with my mother, father, and cousins we are all very close.
*SG: Even though everyone agrees that Johnson is not the same fighter he
once was, your performance was impressive because Johnson can probably
still beat a lot of fighters in the top ten. After the fight, Johnson said
that he thinks you could hang with any of the top fighters and he was
impressed with your power and your ability to take a punch. When do you
plan to fight again and who do you want next?*
Fonfara: I don’t know when I am going to fight again but I want to have at
least one more this year. We have to sit at the table and map it out, but I
want to fight the best. I want Cleverley, Pascal, Shumenov, and even
Dawson. I want to be world champion and I want to fight the best. I am
ready. I want to be the best. Maybe one more tune-up fight with a guy from
the top ten but then I am ready. To be honest, I am ready now and not just
because of this fight.
*SG: I know it’s a little lighter, but after the fight some were talking
about a matchup with Pavlik at 168 or maybe at a catch weight here in
Chicago. Would you take that fight and what happens in it? *
Fonfara: Yes. He is a good fighter and a tall and strong fighter like me.
It would be a good fight but I don’t really want a catch fight. I am a
light heavyweight and I want to fight the best at light heavyweight and
become world champion at light heavyweight because with my body I can’t
really go down to 168. I am ready for everyone at 175; it’s my time. I will
fight anyone.
*SG: Would you travel and maybe even go to Canada for the Pascal fight?*
Fonfara: Why not? If I have the chance to fight for a world championship, I
will go to Canada, England, or anywhere and fight anybody for a world
championship.
*SG: Not that I don’t want to keep talking the fight game, but I have to
ask you some questions about what it means to be one or two fights from
becoming a big time name and a big time fighter, assuming you win? So, who
is Andy Fonfara?*
Fonfara: I’m a normal kid who wants to be champ someday. I train hard and
my passion is boxing. I am good because I love what I do. If I go training,
I love it. This is my life. I am a normal guy. I won’t change in two more
fights or whatever. I will be the same guy. I am a normal guy.
*SG: Was boxing always your passion?*
Fonfara: I think so. As a small kid I always watched Golota at 4AM because
of the time difference, and I always shadow-boxed after the Rocky movies
and I always had fights in school as a small kid (laughs). When I was
small, I would fight and box with my brother on the bed like it was a ring
on TV and the movies (laughs).
*SG: How many brothers and sisters do you have? *
Fonfara: I only have one brother, but I have a lot of cousins and my family
is very close so everyone is like brothers and sisters just like back in
Poland.
*SG: Which part of Poland are you from?*
Fonfara: I am from Warsaw.
*SG: What was your life like in Poland? Where are you from and what type of
upbringing did you have because you only came here like five or six years
ago, right?*
Fonfara: Yes, I came here like five years ago with a boxing team because we
had a show in June of 2006, and my family followed later. Poland is a great
country; I love Poland. Now, it is much different than it was like ten or
twenty years ago. Now, it’s like here; there are stores and galleries and
everything. Before we didn’t have anything.
*SG: How was your lifestyle in Poland?*
Fonfara: I lived good. I lived the same like I do here. I am a normal guy
everywhere. If you are hardworking and a good guy, you can live everywhere
and live good.
*SG: Going back to boxing, what was your amateur experience?*
Fonfara: I had 120 amateur fights. I was junior champ of Poland at 64kg. I
competed nationally and internationally. That’s it. I had a good amateur
boxing career and I had good trainers.
*SG: How old were you when you turned pro?*
Fonfara: Eighteen and now I am twenty-four.
*SG: Going back to your life outside of boxing, how was it adjusting to the
US?*
Fonfara: It was kind of like another world at first, but I like the United
States and I like Chicago. I have travelled throughout the United States to
Colorado, California, New York, Florida, all over and I like it. It’s a
nice country
*SG: What are the major differences?*
Fonfara: Now, it’s very similar. I don’t know. Maybe here it’s maybe still
a little easier because you can have a place to live and buy groceries and
still maybe have a little something left. Where in Poland after paying for
rent or where you live it can be hard after buying food to get other
things. I don’t know; they’re both great countries and Poland is always
changing.
*SG: Greatest inspiration for boxing or motivation?*
Fonfara: I love boxing. I don’t know why but I do. If I go into the ring, I
like to move and I like to fight with somebody. I like to fight. I want to
be the best, and now I want to beat all guys and become the best. Before
when I was young, it was Golota because all people in Poland would wake up
in the morning to watch Andrew on TV. Before he was my motivation, and now
he still supports me and gives advice sometimes.
*SG: Who are your favorite fighters now? Active fighters. *
Fonfara: I don’t know. I don’t have favorite fighters.
*SG: Who do you like to watch?*
Fonfara: I like Mayweather; he is a good fighter. Before, I liked Kelly
Pavlik. Who else? Klitschkos, both of them. I like Adamek; he is a great
warrior with a good chin. And Danny Green is a tough guy and a good guy. I
went to Australia and sparred with him last year and he called and wished
me good luck. I like him a lot. He’s my favorite guy now (laughs).
*SG: Of all time who is your favorite?*
Fonfara: I think it is Andrew Golota because even though he wasn’t world
champ I grew up watching him and he inspired me.
*SG: Who do you want to fight like? Whose style?*
Fonfara: I want to fight like me. My own style. I don’t want to fight like
anyone. I have my style. You know, I have my punches and my combinations
and I want to be my self and that’s it.
*SG: What is the best thing about you as a fighter? *
Fonfara: I think I have a good jab and a strong right hand. I have the
heart to fight. I showed everything for this fight. I must be smart because
the smart fighter wins. If you are stupid and just have muscles and good
conditioning that is not enough and you will lose.
*SG: What are you most proud of outside of ring? I know you are a young guy
at twenty-four, but so far? *
Fonfara: I proud of my gym. I have a close family and I have very good
friends who support me and help me. I have great, great fans who support me
and come to my fights. Guys come here from Texas, New York, Detroit,
everywhere and I want to thank them.
*SG: What does it feel like when everyone is chanting your name like last
night? I mean they went crazy even when you missed a punch? What is that
like?*
Fonfara: (Laughs) Yeah, I know one round I was like, “Come on guys!” and I
was pumping my arms to get them into the fight. It’s a great feeling. I
fight for me, but I also fight for the fans and my friends because if I win
everybody is happy.
*SG: What do you want the fans to know about you? *
Fonfara: I don’t know. You can write that I am a normal guy. I’m never
going to change. I am never going to change. I will always do a photo with
my fans or sign an autograph or talk a little bit about everything. My fans
can talk with me about everything, not just boxing. I can talk about
soccer, sports, anything. Not just boxing.
*SG: You beat a legend. Maybe even a hall of famer. I think so, but that
can all be bullshit sometimes. Anyhow, what did you learn from someone like
Johnson? What did you learn from Johnson in the ring? Out of the ring? *
Fonfara: I learned you must be smart with a fighter like Glen Johnson and
you cannot give him a chance to break you mentally. I must be tough all ten
rounds. If he sees any breaking or weaknesses, he will break you. You must
always be active and pumping the jab even when you are hurt. You cannot
show any weakness during any second for the whole fight. He hits me and I
have to hit him back. No weaknesses with someone like him.
*SG: What about outside of the ring? Did you talk with him or anything?*
Fonfara: I didn’t really talk with him. I thanked him and he thanked me and
just like he said, this was a great fight and everyone would enjoy it and
stand up. It was a great fight. You know, you have to have respect for you
opponent.
*SG: Anything you want to add?*
Fonfara: I want to thank my team and my promoter and all of the fans.
*SG: Thank you and congrats again. We are all looking forward to your next
matchup.
