Luan Krasniqi

14.09.05 - By Per Ake Persson: German heavy Luan Krasniqi, 28-1-1, challenges WBO champ Lamont Brewster September 28 in Hamburg. He is currently in full training but still found time for an interview. Special thanks to Christoph Rybarczyk, head of Universum press department, for making this possible..

Q: How is the training going? Can you give a little info on how much sparring you plan to have, how your training schedule looks, etc ...

A: I have had a wonderful preparation so far. First you work on condition, then body power, and then three weeks of sparring. I have had good sparring partners like Michael Sprott and Sherman Williams who can imitate Lamon Brewster’s style. I am training at my hometown in Rottweil near the Black Forest, so I do feel at home.

Q: Do you rate the Whitaker fight as your best perfomance yet?

A: A knockout win is always the most impressive, but for me personally the rematch with Przemyslaw Saleta (TKO 1) was the most important fight for my career, because I have avenged my loss. Whitaker was a strong opponent, but not very clever and not as fast as me.

Q: If the Saleta II fight was your best yet your fight against Hoffmann was maybe not that great - how do you see the fight now and what went wrong? How do you feel about the scoring?

A: I made some mistakes in the early rounds of the Hoffman fight, because I wanted to punish him for all the offending words and insults he had delivered through the week prior to the fight. He insulted all the boxing fans. His trash talk was unfair not only to me. I wanted to punish him and show him he can punch me but that will have no effect. Is that all you have? I asked him during the fight. I won’t do that again, but I was so upset because his words had insulted me. In the final rounds I dominated him and I think I destroyed his career, because he ate many big shots and never really recovered from that fight.

Q: When I first interviewed you you were still with Panix - I asked you if you didn´t feel over shadowed by all the fighters signed up by Eliades. You said no. Shortly thereafter you left for Universum so what happend?

A: Lennox Lewis has left Panix, and so have I. I had a wonderful time with wonderful people, including Lennox Lewis. After some years it was time to go.

Q: What has Torsten Schmitz meant for you? Which is the biggest changes he´s made in your style?

A: Please ask him. We respect each other and treat each other like grown-ups do.

Q: How do you see Lamont Brewster? Can you give a hint on the tactics you plan to use?

A: Tactics are one thing. The other is: can you follow them? Every challenger has to do more than the champion, right? Please draw your own conclusions.

Q: Does the fact that you are fighting on what is the 100th birthday of Max Schmeling makes the fight even more special?

A: Of course, it does. I have met Schmeling, and he is the most important public figure of sports in Germany. In comparison to Schmeling I am nothing. I have so much respect for him, he was so fully aware of what’s going on when we talked at his house. He asked me about if I earned enough money to put it on the side for the time after my career. I will never forget the moment he waved me good-bye from his entrance. I promised him to get the world title at heavyweight back to Germany. I do not know if I will, but if I do, I will do it for Max and for me.

Q: In case of a win a showdown with one of the Klitschko brothers must be almost a natural. I know you sparred with both - how do you see them now?

A: Please follow the Klitschko’s careers closely and make your own judgement. Vitali and Wladimir are different from each other. I have a lot of respect for their skills. They owe Universum a lot for promoting them to the top. I think Wladimir should have looked for rematches of the fights he lost: Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster. I wish them well – unless we meet in the ring, of course. It is not a dream, because the dream is to fight for the world title no matter who the opponent is. Lamon Brewster beat Wladimir, right?

Q: There´s a number of heavyweights signed up by Universum and Spotlight Boxing now - who do you see as the most promising?

A: That’s hard to say. They still have a long way to go. Only the most enduring will prevail, the ones who can mentally and physically survive