Post by K1power on Jan 21, 2015 16:31:27 GMT 1
This took me a while to translate, but I think the read is definitely worth it 
Tyrone Spong was back in Holland where he visited family and did a few seminars. Despite his busy schedule he freed some time so we could interview him. All questions have been sent in by members of Mixfight.com .
How is life in Miami?
Yeah, it's great to live in Florida, I definitely can't complain. If I look at the weather in Holland right now I can't wait to get back.
Have you watched your fight against Saki yet?
Of course I've watched the fight.
What did you think of Saki's reaction after you broke your leg?
It was good to see how he handled the situation, you can imagine other things going through your mind at a moment like that, but him being that sportsmanlike shows what a real pro he is. Saki and I have a fine relationship and both of us are professionals, but I would be shocked as well. Naturally you want to win, but not like that. After all it's more of an accident than a convincing victory. I can't imagine myself reacting in a different way. Saki is a great guy and I wish him the best in his career.
Would you like a rematch against Saki?
I fight anyone under the right conditions. At the moment I don't see it happening as neither of us are under contract with Glory and I'd like to focus on boxing in 2015. However should the opportunity present itself I'd take the fight against him again.
What do you think about a fight against Badr?
Pretty much the same, I wouldn't avoid a fight against him if offered, but realistically I don't see it happening anytime soon.
How are you doing right now, can you fully use your injured leg yet? Are you in training for competition?
Yes I am and I can do pretty much everything with it. I'm training a lot with Pedro Diaz though and there's no kicking involved in that.
Do you have a comeback date in mind yet?
I could fight tomorrow 'the sooner the better', but I'm expecting to return in March.
Are you staying with Glory or will you head to another kickboxing organisation?
I'm not with Glory anymore so I can't stay with them, I don't have a concrete offer yet, though there are some promotions that have shown interest. Nothing set in stone yet, though.
Lately you've been focusing on boxing more (Youtube vids with Pedro Diaz). Do you think this affects your kickboxing and you'll be kicking a lot less because of it?
Boxing and kickboxing are different games and I don't feel like I'm kicking a lot less nowadays. Thing is though that you want to try out the things you've learned after focusing on boxing.
What has your short time with Mayweather Sr. taught you when you trained there?
I learned a lot from Mayweather, after all he's the one who got me into boxing. I was 20 when I trained there and I've trained there daily over the course of a few weeks, so I can't conclude anything other then me learning to appreciate the art of boxing there.
Why didn't you pursue boxing right away back then?
Yeah that's a good question and in hindsight it might have been a good idea. However you must realize I was very young and was relatively well paid in kickboxing at the time. Also there were still lots of challenges on my path to mature as a kickboxer. Looking back now maybe I should have pursued boxing, especially considering at Mayweather's I trained with guys I could easily match and who are now doing well in boxing. Bob Arum even offered me a contract, so they were definitely interested. My career might've looked very different had I said yes back then, but that's talking in hindsight.
Who is better Mayweather Sr or Pedro Diaz?
It's very hard to answer that since they have very different styles of training and I was at a very different point of my career back when I trained with Mayweather than now with Diaz. Both trainers are big names in the world of boxing so I'm honored to have been working with the two of them. At the moment I have a great relationship with Pedro Diaz and I like working with him. He keeps improving me which helps me as a fighter.
You are a complete fighter with a beautiful style to watch, but why are you barely throwing highkicks?
It's funny you guys notice stuff that I don't. If there's room for it I won't hesitate to throw a highkick. There's a gameplan for every fight and as it happens highkicks weren't really part of it in my last 5 fights or so. You also need to create the room for a kick like that. Maybe that's why I've been looking to create room for punches a bit more. You shouldn't throw highkicks just for the sake of doing them. There has to be an opportunity.
What did your diet consist of when you went from middleweight to heavyweight?
I just kept eating! Nah, I've had very good people around me concerning what I had to eat and how I had to train.
Were you affected by your body transforming, in training for example?
Yeah, it wasn't easy in the beginning, because of all the extra weight I carried around. I was mostly affected by this during my K-1 days. You have to fight different when you're heavier. It took some time but now I'm used to it.
In the documentaries you mention Luciën Carbin sometimes, are you still in contact with him?
No, I'm not. I barely have contact with anyone in Holland other than my family. You have a family and a career to focus on so social contacts are limited to a select few. I think that's part of growing older.
When will we see another episode of King Of The Ring?
Good question, I don't know. There currently isn't anything interesting to be filmed, but when I have some fights this year we might consider it. We had a cool idea for a new episode, but the opportunity has to present itself and it hasn't thus far.
If you could sign with the UFC, would you - knowing that you would fight exclusively?
If it's an offer I can't refuse I'd take it from any organisation.
What's your future, after fighting?
I'd like to be an ambassador and work with children, there are a few projects in Surinam that I'm involved in. I'd like to inspire other people with my talent and be a coach/trainer. That's something I enjoy doing.
When will you kick Ramage's ass?
Not anytime soon, since he's back in the UFC. I like that fight though.
Who used to be your idol?
There were lots of guys I used to love, but Tarik El Idrissi was my buddy and I always secretly took pointers from his fights. He was just so technical. Also, there's nothing but respect for guys like Ramon Dekker, Rob Kaman, Peter Aerts and Ernesto Hoost.
What's your opinion on children who train in kickboxing and what do your kids do?
I'm not a big fan of putting children in a ring at a young age, but if my kids want to pursue kickboxing and they're passionate about it I will support them. They should do what makes them happy, but I'm somewhat relieved my son is in American Football and my daughter does Tennis. Those are sports you can really make money in if you can reach the top.
What's your advice for young ambitious fighters?
It might be simple, but keep working hard and try to have as much fighting experience as you can. Also, try to win as much as possible. I don't want to discourage anyone, but I have to honestly say it's so hard to turn this into a real career so always make sure you have a plan B, go to school or learn a profession to fall back on.
How do you feel about the danger of receiving brain damage?
Being a professional athlete does a number on your health to begin with. You want to reach the top so you have to push yourself both physically and mentally. That goes for every sport. Our sport unfortunately isn't without risk and nobody should underestimate brain damage. I think that taking a lot of shots to the head and being on the receiving end of many KO's is very dangerous and that's why you won't see me competing until I'm 45.
What do you do to keep performing at the highest level?
Just do the work that needs to be done. Part of it is talent, but it's mostly about discipline and perseverance. Many underestimate that last one, but you have to get yourself to hit the gym every time. I have no fight scheduled right now, but you can find me in the gym every day. You learn new stuff daily since the sport is evolving and to stay relevant you need to keep doing your homework.
Do you think you'd be more succesful in boxing than in MMA?
To be honest I'm confident I can do both if I set my mind to it. I have the advantage to be able to train at the highest level with the guys at Blackzilians and I'm doing well. Boxing with Pedro is going great as well. I'm an athlete and I feel like I was made to compete in sports and could do well in both boxing and MMA because of my discipline. I see it in my children as well. My son just became champion with his American Football team and his coach is praising him already while my daughter is doing well at tennis. Even my son who has never touched a tennis ball, goes to his sister to watch, grabs a racket and starts playing. You should the coaches reaction when I tell him it's my son's first time. That confirms being an athlete can be in your genes.
Apart from success, money and fame. What do you feel most like doing right now? Kickboxing, boxing or MMA?
Boxing. That's my challenge for 2015, I like doing that the most. I've done kickboxing for a long time and I've competed in MMA twice so far. To me boxing is the logical choice when keeping in mind the recovery of my leg. I also want to show all the work I did with Pedro Diaz in the boxing ring.
Do you listen to Dutch hiphop? If so, which artist?
Not really, I live in America and not really keeping up with Dutch trends. I can appreciate it, but I grew out of touch with what's hot and what's not.
Roti (dish): chicken filet or with the bone?
With the bone of course!
Original Dutch Interview on MixFight: mixfight.com/2015/01/Interview-Tyrone-spong
Tyrone Spong was back in Holland where he visited family and did a few seminars. Despite his busy schedule he freed some time so we could interview him. All questions have been sent in by members of Mixfight.com .
How is life in Miami?
Yeah, it's great to live in Florida, I definitely can't complain. If I look at the weather in Holland right now I can't wait to get back.
Have you watched your fight against Saki yet?
Of course I've watched the fight.
What did you think of Saki's reaction after you broke your leg?
It was good to see how he handled the situation, you can imagine other things going through your mind at a moment like that, but him being that sportsmanlike shows what a real pro he is. Saki and I have a fine relationship and both of us are professionals, but I would be shocked as well. Naturally you want to win, but not like that. After all it's more of an accident than a convincing victory. I can't imagine myself reacting in a different way. Saki is a great guy and I wish him the best in his career.
Would you like a rematch against Saki?
I fight anyone under the right conditions. At the moment I don't see it happening as neither of us are under contract with Glory and I'd like to focus on boxing in 2015. However should the opportunity present itself I'd take the fight against him again.
What do you think about a fight against Badr?
Pretty much the same, I wouldn't avoid a fight against him if offered, but realistically I don't see it happening anytime soon.
How are you doing right now, can you fully use your injured leg yet? Are you in training for competition?
Yes I am and I can do pretty much everything with it. I'm training a lot with Pedro Diaz though and there's no kicking involved in that.
Do you have a comeback date in mind yet?
I could fight tomorrow 'the sooner the better', but I'm expecting to return in March.
Are you staying with Glory or will you head to another kickboxing organisation?
I'm not with Glory anymore so I can't stay with them, I don't have a concrete offer yet, though there are some promotions that have shown interest. Nothing set in stone yet, though.
Lately you've been focusing on boxing more (Youtube vids with Pedro Diaz). Do you think this affects your kickboxing and you'll be kicking a lot less because of it?
Boxing and kickboxing are different games and I don't feel like I'm kicking a lot less nowadays. Thing is though that you want to try out the things you've learned after focusing on boxing.
What has your short time with Mayweather Sr. taught you when you trained there?
I learned a lot from Mayweather, after all he's the one who got me into boxing. I was 20 when I trained there and I've trained there daily over the course of a few weeks, so I can't conclude anything other then me learning to appreciate the art of boxing there.
Why didn't you pursue boxing right away back then?
Yeah that's a good question and in hindsight it might have been a good idea. However you must realize I was very young and was relatively well paid in kickboxing at the time. Also there were still lots of challenges on my path to mature as a kickboxer. Looking back now maybe I should have pursued boxing, especially considering at Mayweather's I trained with guys I could easily match and who are now doing well in boxing. Bob Arum even offered me a contract, so they were definitely interested. My career might've looked very different had I said yes back then, but that's talking in hindsight.
Who is better Mayweather Sr or Pedro Diaz?
It's very hard to answer that since they have very different styles of training and I was at a very different point of my career back when I trained with Mayweather than now with Diaz. Both trainers are big names in the world of boxing so I'm honored to have been working with the two of them. At the moment I have a great relationship with Pedro Diaz and I like working with him. He keeps improving me which helps me as a fighter.
You are a complete fighter with a beautiful style to watch, but why are you barely throwing highkicks?
It's funny you guys notice stuff that I don't. If there's room for it I won't hesitate to throw a highkick. There's a gameplan for every fight and as it happens highkicks weren't really part of it in my last 5 fights or so. You also need to create the room for a kick like that. Maybe that's why I've been looking to create room for punches a bit more. You shouldn't throw highkicks just for the sake of doing them. There has to be an opportunity.
What did your diet consist of when you went from middleweight to heavyweight?
I just kept eating! Nah, I've had very good people around me concerning what I had to eat and how I had to train.
Were you affected by your body transforming, in training for example?
Yeah, it wasn't easy in the beginning, because of all the extra weight I carried around. I was mostly affected by this during my K-1 days. You have to fight different when you're heavier. It took some time but now I'm used to it.
In the documentaries you mention Luciën Carbin sometimes, are you still in contact with him?
No, I'm not. I barely have contact with anyone in Holland other than my family. You have a family and a career to focus on so social contacts are limited to a select few. I think that's part of growing older.
When will we see another episode of King Of The Ring?
Good question, I don't know. There currently isn't anything interesting to be filmed, but when I have some fights this year we might consider it. We had a cool idea for a new episode, but the opportunity has to present itself and it hasn't thus far.
If you could sign with the UFC, would you - knowing that you would fight exclusively?
If it's an offer I can't refuse I'd take it from any organisation.
What's your future, after fighting?
I'd like to be an ambassador and work with children, there are a few projects in Surinam that I'm involved in. I'd like to inspire other people with my talent and be a coach/trainer. That's something I enjoy doing.
When will you kick Ramage's ass?
Not anytime soon, since he's back in the UFC. I like that fight though.
Who used to be your idol?
There were lots of guys I used to love, but Tarik El Idrissi was my buddy and I always secretly took pointers from his fights. He was just so technical. Also, there's nothing but respect for guys like Ramon Dekker, Rob Kaman, Peter Aerts and Ernesto Hoost.
What's your opinion on children who train in kickboxing and what do your kids do?
I'm not a big fan of putting children in a ring at a young age, but if my kids want to pursue kickboxing and they're passionate about it I will support them. They should do what makes them happy, but I'm somewhat relieved my son is in American Football and my daughter does Tennis. Those are sports you can really make money in if you can reach the top.
What's your advice for young ambitious fighters?
It might be simple, but keep working hard and try to have as much fighting experience as you can. Also, try to win as much as possible. I don't want to discourage anyone, but I have to honestly say it's so hard to turn this into a real career so always make sure you have a plan B, go to school or learn a profession to fall back on.
How do you feel about the danger of receiving brain damage?
Being a professional athlete does a number on your health to begin with. You want to reach the top so you have to push yourself both physically and mentally. That goes for every sport. Our sport unfortunately isn't without risk and nobody should underestimate brain damage. I think that taking a lot of shots to the head and being on the receiving end of many KO's is very dangerous and that's why you won't see me competing until I'm 45.
What do you do to keep performing at the highest level?
Just do the work that needs to be done. Part of it is talent, but it's mostly about discipline and perseverance. Many underestimate that last one, but you have to get yourself to hit the gym every time. I have no fight scheduled right now, but you can find me in the gym every day. You learn new stuff daily since the sport is evolving and to stay relevant you need to keep doing your homework.
Do you think you'd be more succesful in boxing than in MMA?
To be honest I'm confident I can do both if I set my mind to it. I have the advantage to be able to train at the highest level with the guys at Blackzilians and I'm doing well. Boxing with Pedro is going great as well. I'm an athlete and I feel like I was made to compete in sports and could do well in both boxing and MMA because of my discipline. I see it in my children as well. My son just became champion with his American Football team and his coach is praising him already while my daughter is doing well at tennis. Even my son who has never touched a tennis ball, goes to his sister to watch, grabs a racket and starts playing. You should the coaches reaction when I tell him it's my son's first time. That confirms being an athlete can be in your genes.
Apart from success, money and fame. What do you feel most like doing right now? Kickboxing, boxing or MMA?
Boxing. That's my challenge for 2015, I like doing that the most. I've done kickboxing for a long time and I've competed in MMA twice so far. To me boxing is the logical choice when keeping in mind the recovery of my leg. I also want to show all the work I did with Pedro Diaz in the boxing ring.
Do you listen to Dutch hiphop? If so, which artist?
Not really, I live in America and not really keeping up with Dutch trends. I can appreciate it, but I grew out of touch with what's hot and what's not.
Roti (dish): chicken filet or with the bone?
With the bone of course!
Original Dutch Interview on MixFight: mixfight.com/2015/01/Interview-Tyrone-spong