Emanuel Odiase, heavyweight from “Ringside Zone”, talks about his tenth win in his tenth fight – and his clear roadmap towards the world title.
Friday evening, March 20, Hamburg Fischauktionshalle, kick-off 2026 of the “Ringside Zone” promotion. Emanuel Odiase (10-0, 8 knockouts) clearly prevails against the experienced Ukrainian Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (10-20-1, 7 knockouts) – unanimously on points, three times 80:72. The ambitious Heidelberg native, who trains in England, takes an important step in his career. In a backstage interview with BOXSPORT immediately after the fight, Odiase explains why this eight-round duel is more instructive than any quick knockout.
“Lots of material to study”
Emanuel, when you review the eight rounds directly after the fight – still full of adrenaline – did the game plan work? How did you see the individual rounds?
Emanuel Odiase: I think I worked well behind my jab in many rounds and tried to create gaps. I wanted to put combinations to the head, but he is a very experienced man and kept his guard well. It was difficult to break him down. I got through well in some rounds, including to the head. Overall, it was a tough affair but an important experience for me. I also said it in the ring after the fight: finishing every fight in the first or second round doesn’t bring me much in the long term – apart from a nice knockout record. That’s why I’m very happy to take this fight with me.
What is it like: Is an eight-round fight more sustainable in terms of analysis than a quick victory after 30 seconds? Does it have any real added value?
In any case. You have a lot of material that you can study. And it’s important for me to complete these eight laps. If I fight for the world championship at some point, it will be over twelve laps. This is perfect for that. Especially because my opponent really came back at the end. He slowed down at the start, managed his power – and built up pressure at the end. That’s exactly what I needed, and I enjoyed it too. The fans obviously did too.
“We are on the right track”
It was noticeable that there was a spark between the ring and the audience in the moments of the open exchange of blows. Did you feel that way too?
I could clearly feel it in the last ten seconds, the crowd celebrated the exchange of blows. In between, it was a bit quieter because he didn’t hit much and he was conserving his strength. But I thought the pace was good. Sure, there’s still room for improvement, but we’re on the right track.
Let’s take a quick look back: You come from a very boxing-oriented family, but you only started at the age of 16. How much of a handicap is that – especially without a big amateur career?
I definitely had an amateur career, I had about 30 amateur fights. I’ve been boxing for more than ten years now and no longer feel like a beginner, but like an experienced boxer. What helped me a lot back then were the sparring camps with world champions.
“Camp Life – that’s exactly how it should be”
We’ll get to that in a moment. Before that: You went to England. What did you find there in terms of sport that you obviously missed in Germany?
I think it’s less to do with the country and more to do with my coach. I got to know Joby Clayton at Anthony Joshua’s camp – and the chemistry was there from day one. His way of teaching boxing suits me perfectly. When I turned pro in 2023, it was clear to me that I wanted to go down the path with him. I’ve made a huge leap since then.
Can you make that a little more tangible – technically, tactically, mentally?
Joby lives and breathes boxing. He is a walking boxing encyclopaedia and knows every boxer from the past. He is so deeply involved in the subject matter and gives me this love of the sport in every session. We don’t call it training, we call it “progression”. We don’t just train muscles, we improve in every session. That means a lot to me.
You live and train in Wolverhampton. The city is not a metropolis like London. What is the environment like for you there?
It’s perfect for me. There are no distractions. I’m in the gym, go home, eat, sleep – and back to the gym again. Camp life. That’s exactly how it has to be.
“You learn to be in the moment”
Let’s talk briefly about sparring again: The quality is obviously different when you’re training under the same roof as Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk. What do you really get out of it?
A lot. You can see the lifestyle, the mentality, the mindset of champions. When I was at Usyk’s camp, I just sat down next to him at dinner to listen and feel his energy. That’s incredibly useful. You learn to be in the moment.
How do you see it: are we experiencing a little new boxing hype here in Germany since Agit Kabayel’s fantastic performance in front of a full house in Oberhausen in January?
Boxing is back in Germany. We notice that. And with Ringside Zone, we have a format that has never existed before. We now have the platform to achieve reach with the right media partner behind us – in every age group. That is important.
“I perform best under pressure”
Your next fight is already fixed: on May 15 in the SAP Arena in Mannheim. Your title fight for the European Championship will be the main event of the Ringside Zone event. Does that mean extra pressure for you?
No, I’m used to pressure. I come from a very performance-oriented family. Doing sport or boxing at a high level has always been my goal. And I think I can perform best under pressure.
There’s no doubt that you’re aiming for the top and want to make a difference in German professional boxing. How much time do you give yourself for the really big fights?
I’ve often said 2027, which is very close. I now have ten fights, ten wins. From the 14th or 15th fight, it’s realistic for me to fight for a world title. Of course, a lot will depend on what happens in the heavyweight scene, whether Usyk will retire as a multiple world champion. But I will be ready.
Interview: Oliver Rast