Tonight in Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk Yuri Nuzhnenko (28-1-1, 13 KOs), former WBA World welterweight champion will make his comeback after last April bitter defeat from Vyacheslav Senchenko. Nuzhnenko will clash against Mamasoli Kimsanbayev (11-1, 4 KOs) from Uzbekistan in an eight-rounder.

We offer your attention an interview with former world champ.

- What can you tell us about your rival Mamasoli Kimsanbayev? Did you watch his fights?

Well, I think I’ll be able to tell you a lot but after the fight. I did not see any fight videos of his but I do not think this fact can help him in any way while fighting me.

- How was your training camp?

Usually when I am preparing for a 12-round fight I train for 2 months. The Kimsanbayev bout is scheduled as an eight-rounder so I trained a little bit more than a month. Just after the fight I’ll be back in gym to continue training. Generally speaking, for me the upcoming fight is not only a comeback fight after six-month break but a stage in training for a more serious bout. I do hope to fight at least for an Intercontinental belt by the end of the year.

- Last spring you suffered the first loss in your boxing career. Have that upset changed you in any way? Did you change anything in training or were you forced to change your plans for future?

I figured on my victory only before the fight but what happened was, of course, quite different. It was a good fight full of action and my opponent appeared to be the better one in the ring. Of course, that defeat from Senchenko who took my champion belt upset me very much and disturbed my plans. As champion I could have expected interesting fights in the USA with boxing stars like Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito and others but now I have to postpone this dream.

Nevertheless I am planning a real comeback soon – and I am eager to fight for one of world title. I hope to take part in a good fight by the end of this year so that I go up in rankings. As far as my attitude toward boxing is concerned I must say that I always take such matters very seriously. I never underestimated my opponents, so nothing changed at all in this respect. The defeat only increased my fighting spirit.

- What do you think you would have changed in your style and strategy if you had had the chance to fight that bout again? We are interested in your evaluation five months later after the fight.

My main mistake was that started to press him too late that is why my efforts did not bring any success. Had I a chance to change one thing I would have started my pressing earlier. I believe it would have appeared effective. But there is no use now to cry over spilled milk.