Interview with Brian
Mathiasen
By
Teddy Stenmark
05.11 - He is unquestionably one of
the best boxing-trainers in Denmark and has the full respect from
his few but extremely talented fighters. They have found Brian to be
the best guider in their boxing lives and who can blame them? I have
met Mathiasen briefly on a few occasions and I love him. He is very
easy-going, and I guess, more of a pal to them. He is destined to
work the corner of a Danish World champion in the future, I am
pretty sure of it!
Teddy: How many amateur fights did
you have?
Brian: I had only 12 amateur fights
10 wins 2 loses 9 KO
Teddy: Did you win any major
domestic Danish titles?
Brian: The Jutlandic title (a
regional Danish title) at Super heavyweight in 1995
Teddy: When did you start out as a
trainer?
Brian: As a pro-trainer in the
beginning of 1998.
Teddy: How many boxers do you
train? And who are they?
Brian: Pro boxers: Allan Vester,
Anita Christensen, Ahmed Kaddour, Youssef El-Awad.
Teddy: How old are you?
Brian: 37
Teddy: Do you only have your
training career as a job or do you do something else to?
Brian: I have another job as well.
Teddy: If I remember correctly you
worked very closely with Promoter Anders Vester some time ago, do
you guys still work together?
Brian: No, we don't work together
anymore, I train his son Allan Vester and Anita Christensen for Team
Vester, that's it really.
Teddy: Do you believe that you will
work the corner of a Danish World-champion some time?
Brian: I hope so. But you know, pro
boxing is more complicated than people normally know. First of all,
it depends on the promoter - Can he, or she, get the right fights,
in the right order, and at the right time. I believe that I have the
potential to go all the way, and I know that my fighters definitely
have it.
Teddy: Who would that be if you
would have to pick just one guy?
Brian: Or girl! In my dreams, all
of them.
Teddy: What kind of boxer were you
as an amateur?
Brian: Brilliant...(Smile).
Obviously A novice but a hard-hitting one!
Teddy: Do you think you form your
fighters into a specific type of boxers?
Brian: I try to learn them to be
complete fighters, but everybody have their own styles. We train a
lot of technique, like hit and then move when the opposition is
hitting at you. And I also like when you hit and then you change
your angel and hit again.
Teddy: Who is your closest friend
in boxing?
Brian: My fighters, Henrik Risum
and Evans Ashira Oure.
Teddy: What's the beauty of
pro-boxing?
Brian: To wake up in the morning to
run with the boxers, and to go to my Beautiful boxing gym in the
afternoon And train very hard. I also like that no opponent are the
same, and that one punch can turn your career upside down.
Teddy: Name a fighter (worldwide)
that you just would love to train!
Brian The four I train just now
will do just fine, or anyone that puts their heart and soul into the
training.
Teddy: I have met you a couple of
times, you seem almost to be a too nice Person to be a
boxing-trainer, are you able to get really mad when your boxers
don't obey you?
Brian: "Like the Metallica
song where he sings - Obey your master". No, It's not like
that! We work together as a team - I tell them what To do, and they
do it. They know that two people work better than one, so they are
always doing what I tell them, And so far, I only had to higher my
voice just a bit to let them know if something is wrong.
Teddy: Which boxer has been easiest
to handle so far? Who has been your "Dream-pupil"?
Brian: I love to work with all of
them, but Allan Vester is the guy that I have known for the longest
time, and I have been in his corner in the last part of his amateur
career, and in 24 out of his 25 Pro-fights (only missed the European
title fight against Gianluca Branco in Italy, when Allan trained in
the US with Steve Canton). He is like family to me, Allan, his
Lovely girlfriend Therese, and their kid Axel, he (Allan) is almost
like a Younger brother to me.
Teddy: Who is the greatest fighter
(active) out there right now in your opinion?
Brian: There are many talents out
there, and even more that will never get The chance of showing their
potential. I like Oscar de la Hoya - Felix Trinidad - Bernard
Hopkins, just to Mention a few.
Teddy: I read some were that you
had been working as a door-man (bouncer), Have you had other
professions as well?
Brian: That is right, and I have
also worked as a dockworker for 8 years, and been a manager for some
restaurants and discotheques. Now I'm managing a new nightclub in my
hometown Aarhus.
Teddy: Danish middleweight Evans
Ashira signed with Don King recently, what is your opinion about
that?
Brian: I think it's OK, but he have
to fight soon. He will never be champ without any fights. I hope
that he has a fight coming up very soon, and I wish all the Best for
him, because he is one of my very best friends.
Teddy: Finally Brian! Who is the
greatest Scandinavian fighter that ever lived in your opinion?
Brian: I haven't seen all of them,
but there are a few. Søren Søndergaard - Racheed Lawal - Gert Bo
Jacobsen - Johnny Bredahl, and I think I forgot someone.
Teddy: Thank you very much Brian
for your time, I know you have busy hours right now! Take care
Brian!
Brian: I hope the answers were OK.
You are always welcome Teddy my friend!
Feedback: tstenmark@hotmail.com
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