My first fight I of course don’t remember – as everyone else. First time is a complete shock. I watched the videotape over and over for 18 times. Yeah you look like a wreck, but still automatically you do some stuff – I was surprised. Especially if taking into account that I couldn’t even sleep the night before, I was too nervous. Not afraid, just anxious, like in the college before exam.

Second fight is completely different thing however. Your mind is clear, and I was conscious about what I did. My opponent was a tough guy – an experienced competitor in boxing. Real boxers, they are sneaky on the ring, they are watching you, walking around first. And then – bam! – punch, first, second, third. Right in the start he punched me in the belly very hard, in the belly pad. That’s the moment you immediately feel it’s all serious. And then he let his guard down a little… By the way, my coach always makes me go first. He says: “You know Valery, you’re not quite young looking and don’t look like a boxer at all. No one can guess you’re punching with a force of young bear”. So there I go, limping a bit, smiling. And suddenly kick his chest with a knee. And then finish him with elbow. He couldn’t get up for more than a minute. I was very worried about him, came to him to apologize. When we were discussing it after the fight, the coach said to entire group: “Important thing, guys. Valery wasn’t afraid to punch him in the chest and was absolutely right. The boxer of this level has to defend himself. If you can punch – you punch. So this is what you gotta do – punch at your full strength”. This boxer looked at me like as I was some kind of handicap – well it turned out to be his trouble.

Yuri Suslikov: In Russia, people on the street are looking at you and testing at the same time, especially men. It’s like everyone is expecting the fight to begin at any moment. Everyone is ready and concentrated inside. This is how the constant tension is created. After the trainings, I can’t say I don’t have it at all, but I definitely have it much less than others. Even with strangers I feel confident and chilled at the same time. Because I know that in any situation (god forbid) I’ll be able to stand up for myself.

When I was preparing for the second fight, the trainer told me I was gonna fight with two opponents. So the door opens – and I see 5 people running at me instead of 2! Only 2 went up on the ring, to tell the truth, but others were standing around cursing me. All that was, nicely put, unexpected. The idea that trainer had was that the crowd should have frightened and confused me, and two on the ring would have finished it all. This is how he imitated my situation from the past with the fight in restaurant. But I was so concentrated and ready that I didn’t even get scared. It’s impossible to describe how it all went. It’s like you know, the guy on the street asks you for a lighter, and then all you know they attack you, you fight, you hit, you get hit. The fight is no longer than a minute in real life, often less.

Every time you prepare you think: I’m gonna go kick his ass, knock him out. Well that’s and awesome plan before your first punch. Then you just grapple and kicking and punching each other. This is not a preparation for a long artificial contest with the medal and winning, this is playing as in real situation which can happen to you on the street.

And that’s why it’s so incredibly valuable.

Backstage