Vladimir Georgiev: I want to do something very big for myself and sport in Bulgaria
20.04.2024 г. Save in your calendar. Then the Bulgarian Vladimir Georgiev will face Shakiel Thompson in a fight for the European middleweight title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The clash will take place at the Magna Centre in the British town of Rotherham, and Georgiev is preparing for the fight of his life.
“I have been boxing for over 15 years. Before that I trained a bit of kickboxing. In 2009 was my first competition in the amateur version of the sport. In 2018 I finished it and turned to professional boxing,” says the Bulgarian bull.
“In the amateurs, I am a multiple medalist at national championships. I have won several international tournaments in Greece, Kosovo, and in England I won the Eight Men tournament. The competition was dynamic – three matches in one night. I won them and came home with the trophy,” Georgiev recalls his first years in boxing.
“My professional career started in England, with English managers and promoters, but when my contract expired, I decided to come home to Bulgaria. I’ve been in the pros since 2018 and my balance is 12 wins and three losses. I also reached a title against a very good opponent in a match in which I was an underdog,” says the ambassador of Palms Bet and the Sports in Bulgaria Foundation.
“I’m glad I made it to the pros. My style is not typical for three rounds. The difference is that with the pros it’s 4 to 12, I’m now also on 10-round fights where the titles are.”, Georgiev is frank about his flaws and pros.
His last match was against Juan Ruiz – South American champion, which Georgiev won on points. The victory helped him rise in the rankings – he is now among the top 100. In addition, an incredible opportunity opens up for Vladimir to fight for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) European middleweight title.
“There hasn’t been another fight for it in Bulgaria and I can’t hide the fact that I’m quite worried. A lot of people believe and count on me. What’s coming up is very important for me. I have a mission, I want to fulfill it and conquer the highest peaks in this sport,” dreams the boxer.
“There has never been a title fight like this in Bulgaria before. I have big dreams, I have a vision of what I want to do. Boxing is first of all a good sport, but also a very shitty business. Whatever I have to give, I will give, if only to achieve my goals,” explained the Bulgarian.
“In Bulgaria I know we have guys who have potential, but we don’t have much tradition in professional boxing. We teach them a lot of things, and we don’t have the swing that people outside have, like inviting big opponents. It’s a very complex issue, but we’re on the right track. Whatever is up to me, I have given and will continue to give. If one day I can share my boxing experience at a higher level, I would love to do it.”
The Bulgarian also spoke about his preparations for the April 20 fight in Rotherham. His opponent will be Shakiel Thompson.
“Preparations are well underway and I have a very busy schedule ahead. I have two training sessions until the last week. The goal is to be as physically and mentally prepared as possible. The road is pleasant but difficult. I always prepare in a similar way.”, said Vladimir Georgiev, and his opponent has not lost yet:
“At this level there will be no easy. I certainly have to give more even than what I possess.”
Following are quotes from great boxers and his idols:
“As Mike Tyson says, everybody wants to be a beast until they have to do what a beast does, so I want to be a champion and I have to do what a champion does.”
“In England I had serious opponents as well after that. But this one is the strongest. In the title match, which I won, I was a tough underdog and played against a no-loss competitor. There will always be excuses and there will always be opportunities, so I take risks and act. That’s the story of my career,” explained our boxer who is not shy of challenges but wants to achieve more and more:
“You can have 1,000 wins, but if they are against light opponents, does it make sense? My goal is to gain experience against the best. The more experienced you fight, the further you pull up the rankings. That’s how the title matches come. There’s no limit to where you go after that. With wins you get into the elite. I believe I have the strength to pass the next challenge and I feel ready.”
“Earlier you asked me what is the level of boxing in Bulgaria. A lot of things that abroad are taken for granted, for us you have to have some external support to enjoy as much as possible. So I needed partners who gave me a hand at the most important moment. I am glad that the Sport in Bulgaria Foundation believed in me and provided me with some peace of mind so that I could not work in 66 places and train in the middle of the night. I want to focus on that, boxing is my priority. I have the foundation, I’m on the right track, the rest is up to me,” explained the boxer, who gave some advice to his young colleagues:
“They need to be clear if they want to do boxing. When I was in my school and student years, I still trained a lot, but I didn’t have a clear goal of what I wanted to do, I didn’t have that plan, and many times I was on the verge of giving up. It takes patience. But you don’t just have to wait, you have to look for success and, as tough as it sounds, you have to be patient to fight – you have to be able to handle that internal battle. For sure there will be pain, fatigue, there will be nasty moments to overcome,” Vladimir Georgiev concluded.