Proksa on the Olympics, Damian’s fight and the national team’s plans

After returning from Paris, Grzegorz Proksa summed up the Polish boxers’ performance. He also addressed the controversy surrounding Damian’s fight and assessed Mateusz Bereźnicki’s bout. He spoke about the emotions accompanying the Olympic competition and the national team’s future plans.

– You are returning from Paris without complete satisfaction. Preparations had been underway since January, and everything seemed to be going according to plan. What went wrong at the event?

– We worked through the preparation period really well. The athletes were in top form. The tournament in Bangkok raised our hopes considerably. We saw both the improvement in the guys’ form and the effects of the training plans we had implemented.

The draw was not the worst either. We could have ended up with considerably tougher opponents. The truth, however, is that regardless of the draw, we were prepared for anyone.

– Damian’s fight generated the most emotion. Now, with a little more perspective, how do you assess what happened in the ring?

– To be honest, I have already given many interviews on the subject, and the same emotions return every time. There is still enormous sporting anger within us. We needed time to understand what had happened, but we still find it difficult to accept.

I feel sorriest for Damian. He put in an enormous amount of hard work and made huge sacrifices, and his dream was taken away from him in this way. I am convinced that without the warnings, the fight would have unfolded completely differently.

The opponent used his physical attributes very cleverly. Whenever Damian attacked, he quickly closed the distance. With such a large height difference, this created situations that the referee could interpret to the detriment of our boxer. Looking at everything from a cooler perspective, I believe the official did not cover himself in glory in that bout.

– Did you feel that the first warning affected Damian particularly strongly?

– Definitely. I think the first warning took some of the air out of him and influenced the way he calculated the rest of the fight. I am not even talking about the second warning in the third round. The first one alone had a major impact on him.

We were also surprised by the score after the first round – 3:2 in our favor. Damian was surprised too. It was difficult to understand because the opponent landed single shots, while Damian threw many more. He was dictating the fight and landing both to the body and upstairs. Tactically, everything was working really well.

Such a score after the first round could have destabilized him further. I could see, however, that he was well prepared physically and technically.

– From the corner, you could hear that you were trying to deliver your instructions calmly and clearly.

– That was very important. Our main task was to control Damian’s emotions, because he was coping very well from a boxing standpoint. That was what I focused on most.

I was a fighter myself, and I know what thoughts enter a boxer’s head when the referee starts handing out warnings. That is why the priority in the corner was to remain calm. This also allowed Damian to settle down and concentrate on the fight.

– The stakes were extraordinary – the Olympic Games, representing your country and wearing the eagle on your chest.

– The emotions are enormous. The importance of the fight itself, the Olympic Games and representing Poland are all something special. You do not experience that every day.

I knew how much Damian cared. He showed it at every training session and during every team meeting. We saw his determination throughout the entire preparation period. That is why it hurts so much that he was not given the chance to continue fighting.

– During preparations in Zakopane, fans could see how hard he worked. How much did he sacrifice over those six months?

– A great deal. During the six months when I led the team together with the coaches, Damian was a model of dedication to training. He put in an enormous amount of work and left a great deal of himself in the gym.

– Mateusz Bereźnicki’s case looked somewhat different. What was missing in his fight?

– Mateusz has to do considerably more than simply rely on his jab. Of course, given his physical attributes, that punch is extremely important.

Our instructions were clear. He was supposed to maintain distance, avoid being driven back to the ropes, work behind his straight punches and immediately move off the line of attack after combinations. If he found himself by the ropes, he should not shell up or lean on them. He had to find a clever way out of the difficult situation, push his opponent back and regain the center of the ring.

He was very well motivated before the bout. The pad work looked really good, and Mateusz knew all the instructions. He carried them out fairly well in the first part of the fight.

– Did something change later?

– Yes. At one point it looked as if someone had flipped a switch. Imagination took over, along with charges forward and poor decisions. It was difficult to stop.

The bout itself was even, but we have to be honest and say that Mateusz did not fully carry out what we expected of him. He is certainly taking it very hard now. We spoke after the fight, and he knew that he had not been sufficiently focused on carrying out the task.

– Could the pressure of such a major event have influenced that?

– I think so. However, we must remember that Mateusz had experienced similar fluctuations earlier this year. On the other hand, he is only 24. In his weight class, that is a genuinely young age.

We need more time to work on this. He is a fighter who can still develop tremendously.

– What conclusions are you bringing back to Poland? What comes next?

– I am convinced that our work together makes sense. This applies to me, coach Fiodor Łapin and the other coaches working with the national team.

In mid-August, we begin another training camp in Zakopane. We will be preparing for next season. The next objective is the European Under-22 Championships.

The conclusion is simple for me: we are heading in the right direction. Until recently, few people expected us to reach this point. However, we managed to secure two Olympic qualification spots.

Of course, we wanted to make our mark at the Games with a medal. The athletes dreamed of it, I dreamed of it, and the fans certainly expected it as well. I believe those medals will come. We simply need more time and consistent work.

Everything happened very quickly this year. The athletes encountered a new coach, new methods and new technical solutions. This has already brought two Olympic qualification spots. Now we must continue working so that medals become the next step.

– So can we assume that the cooperation will continue and that you will keep working with the athletes on similar principles?

– Yes.

– Thank you for the interview, and good luck with preparations for your next competitions.

– Thank you.