Interview with Evans Oure

Ike Enwereuzor

21.02 - Unbeaten IBA middleweight champion "The African Warrior" Evans Ashira Oure of Kenya now based in Denmark (20-0)11 knockouts. He speaks out about his past and future. Oure is expected to return to action Febuary 25, 2002 in England. This is what he had to say....

The first car you ever bought? why did you decide to buy the car? What do you remember about the car?
My first car I ever bought was a Nissan Sunny B12. I remember I was so excited and happy for it and i use to drive it around a lot.

How would you compare boxing in Kenya to Denmark?
Pro-Boxing in Kenya is not as active as Denmark because of lack of Television involvement.

What's it like working with Ivor De Lima?
Training with Lima is a great experience because Did any of your other brothers become boxers? How far did they go with it? He thought me to be discipline with my training and work hard

What do you remember most about your first amateur fight?
My first fight as amateur was really tense because I had told everyone I was going to win.

How many amateur fight did you have? Tell us about the junior championship when you were 16?
I had about 125 amateur fights and won my junior championship in Mombasa.

Who inspired you to get into boxing?
My Cousin Charles Owiso really inspired me, I learn a lot from his hard work and determination.

Your thoughts of your uncle, Charles Owiso who was in 1984 Olympics?
He did well in in the olympic game but lost, then he turned pro in USA but when he went back to Kenya for holidays he had trouble getting back to USA so began to coach fighters.

How much did Charles inspire you as a boxer and what did you learn from him?
My family is a boxing family almost everyone boxes. My big uncle, Owiso Oure Katibi boxed against Ugandan dictator Iddi Amin in his best days as heavyweights. My cousin Saul Owiso and Charles Owiso were national team veterans. Charles was a light welterweight who featured in Olympics 1984. My Big brother Lemmy Katibi was also in the National team few times winning the regional championship as a light heavyweight. My younger brother Stanley Katibi Ashira was in the national team too as a middleweight. The youngest Kevin Ashira represented his club in the National boxing league.

What would you tell Kenyans who may represent Kenya in olympics in future?
What I want to tell the future Kenyans or Africans who may represent the Countries in Olympics is to make up their mind is there because Olympics is the biggest window to the world of Boxing. If they get to this level theuy must do their best because it's opportunity to make a good career in the game.

Tell, us about your participation in 1996 Olympics & Commonwealth championship?
It was a great experience for me. The experience at 1996 olympic game in Atlanta, Ga was really great I saw the graduation of Amateur boxing andand felt like there was nothing as great as being Olympic amateur boxer. Also, I felt I was underscored in my fight but that was just unlucky situation for me because I know I won the fight. Well, I'm doing great now as a professional. On my commonwealth championship I moved up to junior middleweight, I was confident and had more experience. I won all my fights by knockout except the finals which I won on points but my opponent had two counts in the fight.

Describe your involvement in the All African Games 1995?
I was first dropped from the national team due to lack of funds they said and some favoritsm in the final team to represent Kenya. My company whom I worked for KPA sponsored me. One of my best fans in the management Mr. Vincent Wakayanda convinced the company to sponsor me to the commonwealth championship. I just couldn't let them and my country down. I qualified for All African games and had to win to qualify for olympics 1996. Under all circumstance of course I promised myself and Charles Owiso that I must go to Olympics like he did. I was so proud of myself to win and qualify for Olympics.

Describe your fight with Charles Lubwama of Uganda as amateurs?
My fights with Lubwana were tense because I had promise myself again I can beat him. I beat him in place in Logogand, Uganda while he won over me in Makuti park, Kenya. He was used to stopping his Kenyan opponents inside distance. Now it was something I had to make him forget ruling the class, I was a light welter and then moved up to welterweight. He was more experienced than me but I used the physical part to wore him down and score. Both of our fights were great, action-pack and exciting, everyone was excited to see the fight too.

What did you learn from your first professional fight?
My first pro fight was kind of tough for me because of feature, I didn't want all my efforts to go to drain so I could not think of losing. I boxed with everything I had and knocked out the guy (Konstantin Dima).

Tell us about your fight with Darren Macinnski and Michael Rask?
My fight with Micael Rask, I was looking for a contract to make pro debut so I couldn't let Rask win over me, I put in everything I had to pull it off and stop him in round two. Darren Macinnski fight, I was really hungry but had problems with my promoter, of which I hadn't defend my IBF International title for long time of which it was turning to be a photo album, so I had got the defense so I just wanted to make a good fight.

How would you compare working with Promoters Vester & Palle?
Vester is a good guy though he should learn to keep business, business and not get himself involved in peoples personal lifes because that is made us not get along well. But Morgen Palle, I don't really know him very well but I think he's a good man and knows how to take care of his cards, though I think he should be a little flexible sometimes. I haven't meet his roughside yet.

Compare working with Brian Mathiasen and Ivor De Lima?
If I should compare Brian Mathiansen to Ivor, they are just different in their ways and I like both men. Frankly, if I should say I would like to work with both of them, working these guys is really fun and I learn a lot from them. They both do beautiful job and sincere with their work. They will be there in the good and bad and I know they love their job too.

What do you African Boxing needs most to improve?
African Boxing needs more sponsors to get involved to improve the sport especially the Television out there in Africa because Boxing needs more publicity there. They need to invest some money into it.

What's your impression of Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas and Ronald "Winky" Wright?
My impression of Fernando Vargas, he's good but that's the fight I want I'm the WBA International middleweight champion but I would move down to 154 to face any of the champions including Oscar or Winky, they may act like they don't know me but will soon know me. People will certainly get their money worth when I step into the ring against any of them. Me and Oscar De La Hoya will be great too because of our styles. I'm a world champion too, I have the IBA middleweight title so there will be two champ squaring it out. I'll not have problems coming down.

What do you wish to accomplish in Boxing?
I want to fight all the top jr middleweights and world champions. I want to make my mark as one of the greatest fighters of our time. I want to take all their title and move up then unify any division I step into. I want them to know I'm the best but I need the opportunity to prove myself to them and I'm an olymian too.

When do you plan to fight in United States?
I would love to fight in USA, once I get the opportunity.

What would you like to tell all top contenders in your weight class?
I want to tell all top contenders that Oure is around and about to come after them. They are fighters so why not fight me. They can't hide any more. This year is the beginning of the era for me, I'm on a mission and my dreams is about to come through.

Your advice to anyone who wants to become a professional boxer?
They should really decide if they got what it takes which is dedication, discipline and hard work. Give it your best if you want to do it. God bless all.

Thanks for your time