Great Champions
Great Champions
was a fight so hard that it was recognized as the " fight of the year ". We are talking about 1990.
B. I.: Tell us please about your opponent that night, tell us about Bert Cooper.
RM: Bert Cooper was a great fighter, a tough boxer, fast and enduring. He could throw a lot of hooks in a row without problems; he was also a good enchaser, I threw him a lot of punches that night and he resisted well. I think his fighting style was like that of Joe Frazier. I had a good fight against him. For me it was like fighting Mohamed Ali.
B. I.: What has been the highlight of your career?
RM: The title of Heavyweight World Champion was very important to me, indeed, but I definitely prefer the Gold Medal at the Seoul Olympics. Olympic Games are an event in which everyone wants to participate. I was a member of the Army, I was representing my country, at first I didn ' t think I could win, but I trained very hard, I listened to all my coaches, and I gained enough confidence to make it. When you win an Olympic medal everyone looks you, all eyes are on the Olympics. When I turned pro and got to win the world championship, was very nice and very exciting, of course, and I thought I had it all with that, but what I felt winning the gold medal in the Olympics is unmatched. It ' s really wonderful to go to the Olympics with all the athletes representing your country, and come back home with a gold medal. When I was a kid I didn ' t box, nor was I thinking of boxing, but I did watch boxing in the Olympics and thought of how great it would be for boxers who won the gold. And, like all kids, I dreamed of winning a gold medal in any sport, and that dream finally came true. That ' s why I say the gold medal is the greatest achievement of my career. And everyone remembers that.
B. I.: What is your best memory of that event?
RM: My best memory is of when I was on the podium with the gold medal around my neck and hearing the anthem of my country, I was crying with excitement, my mother, who attended the games, was also crying, my father who was at home watching the T. V. was crying too. Everyone was excited, I took the medal with my hand and bit it. In short, everything you do when you win a medal. That ' s my best memory. In addition, the fact that
Koreans had tried to intimidate us athletically speaking, gave it even more value to this victory. Being on the Olympic podium receiving the gold medal is something unforgettable.
B. I.: What boxers do you consider to have been the most important in the history of the sport?
RM: Well, I think Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier have been been the best of them all, the greatest boxers of all times. There have been other important boxers who were very good, but I think these three are really the very best, and those who have most excelled in this sport. Besides, these are the boxers who particularly attracted my attention, and also those who exerted a greater influence on me at the beginning of my career. They were really tough, they could calmly endure 15 rounds and more if it had been necessary, they had smaller gloves, were fitter and hitted stronger. When I talk about boxing, always come to mind these three boxers: George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. I ' d even dare to stand out the latter. Mohamed Ali would come first and then George Foreman and Joe Frazier. If I was to emphasize a feature of each, I ' d point up the hook of Joe Frazier, the speed of Ali and the power of George Foreman. They were tireless fighters, they fought to the end, and never surrendered. In fact, I think today ' s boxers would loose if they had to face them because they were the strongest fighters, who were used to fight in tougher conditions.
B. I.: What do you think it would happen if you had to face these boxers?
RM: If I had to fight with them, I ' d make a harder training than what I do now to face the current fighters. If I was to face Muhammad Ali, I would do it in the same way that Joe Frazier did, pressing hard not to let him use his explosive jab and his speed. If I had to fight against Joe Frazier, I think it would be a real war, he was pushing all the time, throwing punches continuously, it would be a bout of power to power, I would have to try to knock him out at any cost, otherwise I couldn ' t beat that man. If it was George Foreman, I would especially train the power. But not to knock him directly but to wear him away with powerful blows while working my footwork to break free from his attacks.
B. I.: What is your favorite technique?
RM: The Jab, I like to use the jab to keep going forward and put pressure on my opponent. If I keep pressing him is much easier that he makes a mistake that will let me knock him out or take advantage in the bout.
B. I.: Tell us some funny anecdote that happened during your career...
RM: It was in a fight against Tommy Morrison, he started very strong, he attacked like a lion, he started to throw blows to my body and in the second punch that reached my stomach, I let go a " fart ". To tell the truth, I didn ' t realize and the fight continued, and when the bell rang and I went back to my place, people in my corner were all laughing, they did have heard it and told me. I know it ' s not the first time it happens on the ring, but the fact is that at that time it didn ' t find it funny at all, but hey, time ' s gone and I can say that is the funniest story that has ever happened to me in a fight.
B. I.: What ' s the best and worst of being a professional boxer?
RM: The best thing about being a professional boxer, is that you get paid for doing something you love. The worst thing is that you get hit. Now seriously, the best is the recognition of the public and fans. And the worst is when you train hard, you prepare thoroughly a fight, you strain to your maximum on the ring, and at the end of the fight the judges decide to give the victory to the opponent, that ' s what I like least.
B. I.: Against whom would you have liked to fight?
RM: I would have loved to face Mike Tyson, I think he ' s been an excellent boxer. In fact, I was about to fight him, and it was all set, but at the end they decided that I should fight against Lenox Lewis.
B. I.: Why did you decide to participate in MMA and K1 bouts?
RM: Well, I realized that my boxing career was coming to an end, yet I still had strength and energy to keep doing things, so I considered this type of sports as an opportunity to continue being active, and why not say, earning money.
B. I.: Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with us and for collaborating with our magazine.
RM: It ' s been a pleasure.
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