Masternak changes trainers. Piotr Wilczewski will be in his corner

Piotr Wilczewski will be responsible for preparing Mateusz Masternak for his fight in January. It is possible that he will also become his head trainer for future bouts.

The 26-year-old “Master” is due to return to the ring on January 18 in Frederikshavn. It is in the Danish city, where he was stopped by Grigorij Drozd last October, that the European cruiserweight champion will have his next fight. His opponent is not yet known. After suffering the first defeat of his professional career—and one that came inside the distance—it is nevertheless difficult to expect an opponent from the very top level.

Masternak and Wilczewski have already held their first joint training sessions. They will complete the most important part of their preparations at the modern Global Boxing Gym facility in Dzierżoniów.

After losing to Drozd in Wrocław, Masternak considered working with German trainer Karsten Roewer. He was later also offered the chance to train with Otto Ramin. Both coaches work in Berlin with fighters from Sauerland Event, the group that promotes Masternak. Ultimately, the choice fell on Wilczewski.

“Wilk” continued to box professionally until last June. He achieved his greatest success in Helsinki in 2011. He knocked out Amin Asikainen and won the European super-middleweight title. He had previously appeared in Masternak’s corner as an assistant to his former trainer, Andrzej Gmitruk.

In recent months, alongside Fiodor Łapin, Wilczewski has become one of the busiest trainers in Polish professional boxing. His group includes, among others, Mariusz Wach, Paweł Głażewski, Kamil Łaszczyk and Patryk Szymański.

Masternak and Wilczewski have known each other for many years. The now 35-year-old “Wilk” was also trained by Gmitruk. Now, the relationship between the older gym mate and the younger fighter is taking on an entirely different character.

“I am very pleased after the first week of training. Piotrek pointed out several things to me. It is not about completely changing my style, but about eliminating certain mistakes. I think we drew the right conclusions from the last fight. We had a stop, but our bus should now pick up speed again,” Masternak says.

The boxer emphasizes that Wilczewski gives him his full attention. “We arrange a specific time and Piotrek has time only for me,” he explains. Masternak is planning to move from Wrocław to Dzierżoniów. During the preparation period, he wants to spend several days there each week.

“When Andrzej Gmitruk trained me, Piotrek was primarily his assistant. Now the situation is different. He is responsible for the entire process and presented me with a training plan. I like his approach and we understand each other very well. If everything continues to move in the right direction, and on January 18 we show that we are a well-matched duo, I would like this cooperation to last much longer,” the fighter concludes.

Masternak will make his second appearance in Frederikshavn. In April this year, he stopped Sean Corbin there.

Przemysław Osiak, przegladasportowy.pl