Ukrainian welterweight (up to 66.7 kg) Karen Chukhadzhyan (21-2, 11 KOs) gave
interview YouTube channel Two Sides.
Karen told how he fought against top US prospect Jaron Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs), who fought just over a month ago.
Ennis-Chukhadjian: He doesn’t bark, he bites! — vRING report
Chukhadzhyan also spoke about his attitude towards Russian athletes, expressed his opinion about the upcoming fight for the title of absolute heavyweight champion Usyk – Fury, and also talked about the best boxer in history, boxing fights between showmen and ex-MMA fighters.
— When you walked out with the flag of Ukraine at an event in the United States, did you feel any special support? Does the United States generally feel support for Ukraine in everyday life?
– In ordinary life – yes, it is felt. When I went to the fight, it seems to me that there were only Ennis fans in the hall. Because I went out, and there was generally no support, as even for a boxer. I went out, and they shouted to me: “You will fall asleep in the first round!” There were purely Ennis fans at the fight, I think.
“It wasn’t Ennis who was bad, it was Choukhadzhian who was very good.” Exclusive interview with Vyacheslav Senchenko
– Now there are more and more voices that Russians should already be allowed to participate in sports, the Olympics, and so on. In your opinion, can professional boxers be somehow selected in terms of whether they made an official conviction or not, or should they all be banned until this is all over?
– Well, this is one of the levers of influence on the President of Russia, and it seems to me that if they are banned everywhere, then this should somehow affect or at least give them food for thought. As for the selection – I will not box with the Russians until such garbage that they are weird happens.
– Over these 11 months, were there any Ukrainian boxers who either surprised you pleasantly or disappointed you? Or did everything work out as expected?
– In terms of political position?
– Yes Yes Yes.
Is this a question directed at Lomachenko?
— No, in general. Lomachenko first went into the defense, then it’s not clear. Not only Lomachenko. So what is expected for you?
— Yes, in general, everyone is doing their job. I don’t even know who to comment on, which surprised me.
– Well, someone didn’t expect from Usyk. He was hated by many before these events. Maybe Usyk was somehow surprised? But here’s what I was expecting.
– But it also seems to me that Usyk did what he had to do.
– What every Ukrainian should have done.
– Well, yes.
Chukhadzhyan wants to go to the USA, but the next fight will be closer to Ukraine
– I want to return to your welterweight. It so happened that almost the best boxers in history have always boxed here: Pacquiao, De La Hoya, Mayweather, and Felix Trinidad. Who would you call the greatest welterweight?
Probably Mayweather, Pacquiao.
– And who would you call the greatest boxer in history as a whole?
– It’s hard to choose just one, because everyone was great in their own way. For example, if you take Ali, then he did not have some super perfect record, because he ended his career with seven defeats, if I’m not mistaken. But what is his greatness, that he not only showed himself in the ring, but also outside the ring. That is, he boycotted the war in Vietnam and the like there. Therefore, first you need to find the criteria by which to evaluate a boxer. If it’s a pure boxer, then it’s hard. If all the best boxers boxed at the same time and fought each other… Because now there is a big problem when, for example, there are two supertops, for example, Spence and Crawford, who simply do not box among themselves. That is, it is difficult for me to choose one person in the whole story, because everyone is good in their own way. Someone takes technique, someone knocks out 30 people in the first round, someone else something.
— I would like to talk about upcoming events in 2023. One of the most anticipated in the boxing world is Fury-Usyk. Do you think Alexander will be able to defeat another giant or will it still be problematic?
– It seems to me that Usyk will win. For some reason, it seems to me that it will not be so difficult for him. Of course, Fury is big, Fury is quite mobile, technical. But I think it will be easier for Usyk to box with him than with Chisora. It will go easier, I think.
By the way, Fury is now again hinting at a fight with Ngannou, who retired from the UFC. How do you feel about such cross-fights? Does it spoil boxing or vice versa attract the audience? That is, an MMA fighter and a boxer?
For a boxer, it’s a missmatch. I will not be interested to watch, but everything is done for the fans. If people are interested in watching it, then why not, let them box. The same goes for Jake Paul. If people want to watch him beat pensioners, then why not?