New champ wishes Adonis Stevenson speedy recovery!
Greg Leon: Congrats on your knockout victory of Adonis Stevenson to capture the world/ WBC light heavwyweight championship. Can you give us some thoughts on your performance?Â
Oleksandr Gvodzyk: "I'm just happy, this is my dream come true. I'm happy now and have just been enjoying time with my family since the fight."Â
GL:Â You made your dream come true in sensational fashion with a late round stoppage victory. How has the hospitalization of Stevenson affected you?
OG: "This is boxing and the same thing could have happened to me. I know this is a sad story, but this is my job what I've done in the ring and he did the same. It's just a very bad coincidence that this happened and I wish him the best luck and a fast recovery."
GL: You see referee Michael Griffin wave off the fight, you're hugging Carl Moretti and Teddy Atlas, what's going through your mind at this moment?
OG: "This is probably the first thing that popped into my mind, I am world champion now. All of my work, my efforts, my exertions, I was just so happy, but I immediately thought I was world champion once I saw the referee stop the fight."
GL: You followed your game plan very well for this fight, I was surprised that you walked to the right, into Stevenson's power several times in the early rounds. Was that to throw him off?
OG: "You know everything I've done was part of the plan. Most of the time I tried to move to the left, but some times I would move to the left to trigger him to throw his left hand so I can counter him. Everything I did was part of the plan and I think I did it pretty well. Teddy Atlas came up with this plan for me and he can tell you how much of the game plan I followed. I feel like I followed most of it though."
GL: It seems like a good marriage with you and Teddy.
OG: "I am very happy so far. Without him I would not have won this fight. Stevenson is a really strong fighter and hard hitting. If I came into this fight the way I did my last fight I would have been in trouble. I'm not talking about physically because I'm always in good condition, I'm talking about technically and mentally."
GL: You were in control of the fight and up 6-2 on my card going int the ninth round when Stevenson landed some good punches. In round ten he probably should have been credited with a knockdown because the ropes kept you up. Did he ever hurt you?
OG: "Let's not forget that I scored a knockdown that wasn't called first in round three, but in round ten I was surprised because I didn't see this punch. Stevenson in the press conference was right when he said don't blink. I was in control until round ten and than I get hit with the punch and felt like I was falling down and the ropes kept me up. But I was never really in trouble and I was able to get back control of the situation and began to land some very good shots at the end of round ten."
GL: Would you say he's the hardest puncher you've ever fought?
OG: "Definitely."
GL: What's next now? Unification?
OG: "You know Greg the next now is Lomachenko's fight and the New Year. I was so intense in this camp and had a lot of pressure on me. Right now I want to spend some time with my family, support my friends and then after the New Year I'm going to talk to my manager and promoter to see what will be next."
GL: Are you a nail or piranha?
OG: (laughs) "I am both."
GL: How many times did you hear that in camp?
OG: "Oh man, every day. I was hearing that we're piranha and we have to take little bites and not go for one punch every single day of camp. I believed in the plan, I followed the plan and it worked out well!"
