As part of the Joshua vs. Prenga fight, Simon Zachenhuber will have the chance to compete for the WBO world title in Kampf against Hamzah Sheeraz. Ahead of the fight, he answered questions in an interview with DAZN.
Simon Zachenhuber on the short notice of the fight
Thankfully, I found out about it a little earlier. Or rather, we still had that other fight coming up first. I boxed in Cologne just two weeks ago, and the week before that we’d already received word that there was a possibility the fight against Hamza Sheeraz might happen. Naturally, the first thing you start thinking is: Should you even take this—so-called—”unimportant” fight right before a world championship? After all, anything can happen—whether it’s a cut, an injury, or something else. In the end, though, we were only two or three days away from the fight, so we decided to go ahead with it no matter what. I more or less treated it as a real sparring session to stay in the rhythm and maintain my training level.
On the decision to accept the boxing match
Of course, my trainer Conny and I always make decisions like that together. In this case, we said yes right away, without giving it much thought. Three or four days later, I had my fight in Cologne, and after that, everything just fell into place. It was my 30th professional fight, so you’ve got a certain routine by then. You stick to your training and prepare for the next challenge. Of course, we knew: He’s the number one and the world champion—that’s a whole different level compared to my last opponent. But in the end, he’s just a human being with two hands and a head. And you have to box him just like anyone else.
This is how great the “Matador” thinks his chances are at the World Championships
When I think about it, it’s a dream come true that we’re boxing for the World Championship. My trainer has always said: “This is what you’ve always wanted—to fight for the world championship.” But now that the time has come, of course you want more. You want to win the fight, too. I’m definitely going there to win. I have a very clear goal. We know my strengths; we know Shiraz’s strengths, but also his weaknesses. That’s why we’re confident we have a good chance and are convinced we can win the fight.
Zachenhuber on his opponent Hamzah Sheeraz
It’s no coincidence that he’s the number one fighter and world champion. We’ve studied him very closely. Of course, I’m not going to reveal right now what strengths and weaknesses we’ve identified in him. But I can say one thing: I’ll give it my all, put my heart on the line, and not hold back. I’ll go on the offensive, go full throttle, and do everything I can to win the fight. It’s never been a good idea to underestimate anyone. I don’t know if he’s underestimating me. But I assume he’s professional enough to take a close look at every opponent. Next week, we’ll see what he’s prepared for. As a southpaw, I naturally bring something to the table that not everyone faces on a regular basis. I don’t think he’s boxed against many opponents like me yet. So, we’ll take on the underdog role. And then it’s just: Let’s go!
Regarding the criticism of Zachenhuber’s World Championship fight
Ultimately, this is a matter of rankings and the association’s rules. The fight against Pavel Augus was unfortunate. It was scheduled at short notice for six rounds. As a full-time professional, I’m built for ten or twelve rounds and train accordingly. To be honest, the first four rounds weren’t good for me. I got off to a bad start and ended up losing 4–2. At the same time, though, everyone could see that Augus was fading badly toward the end. He probably wouldn’t have made it through a seventh round. For the WBO, however, this fight had hardly any impact because it was just a six-round bout—neither a title fight nor a regular ten-rounder. That’s why I remained at number seven in the world rankings. I was still listed in the rankings and thus still in the running. Of course, I’m also happy for Pavel. He won the fight, made a name for himself, and is now also boxing at this major event against Jacob Bank. That’s a great development. As for myself, I won my last fight again and reinforced my standing in the sport. That’s why I’m convinced that I’ve earned the chance at the world title fight.
Here’s what the final preparations look like ahead of his fight
We’re currently at the end of the sparring phase. I’ve just finished twelve rounds of sparring, and we have another sparring session scheduled for tomorrow. At the end of this week or the beginning of next week, we’ll be traveling to Saudi Arabia. Otherwise, everything is going according to plan. The conditions there actually work in our favor. When it comes to making weight, a bit more warmth is often helpful. The focus now is on maintaining our peak form. We’re no longer working on fitness, because whatever you haven’t built up by now, you can’t make up for anyway. Fortunately, though, we don’t have anything to make up for. We’re in top shape and will go into the fight accordingly. During Fight Week itself, everything will proceed as usual: media appearances, weigh-ins, and the final training sessions. Whether the fight takes place in Saudi Arabia or somewhere else doesn’t make much of a difference to our routine.