We last saw Yuri Foreman valiantly take on Miguel Cotto in a losing effort to defend his WBA super welterweight title late last year. The fighting rabbi, who suffered a torn ACL has been quietly on his way back. He is slated to fight Pawel Wolack on March 12 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. We had a chance to catch up with the former champion and he lets us in on life, his new baby and more.
Foreman on the status of his surgically repaired knee:
YF: Doctors say it should be no problem. It should be as strong as before. Yesterday, it was raining, for example, I felt it. I feel the weather. Good thing the fight is Vegas; the chance of rain is slim.
Will Foreman wear a brace for this March 12 fight?
YF: No brace. It’s going to be like Forrest Gump. The joint itself will be stronger [than before the injury].
Foreman’s feelings about being on this pay-per-view broadcast with his old friends at Showtime:
YF: It’s great. Listen, it’s one of the biggest channels out there today. It’s a great honor and I’m thanking SHOWTIME for the opportunity. I love it.
On what he expects from his March 12 opponent Pawel Wolak:
YF: A lot of pressure. That’s what he does, a lot of pressure. I guess he lives up to his name, ‘Raging Bull.’ Once in a while, he’s jabbing with his head. I have to be careful… be ready for the pressure.
On fighting without a title:
YF: I always consider myself an underdog. Even winning the world title, I considered myself an underdog so losing the world title, nothing has changed. I’m still hungry. There’s a lot of work to do. Losing the title, you know I had many things after that: surgery, birth of my son and the passing of my friend and manager, Murray Wilson , in a short amount of time. Everything happens for a reason. In Judaism, they say everything that happens is always for the good. So I take that experience as a positive experience.
On boxing fans commending Foreman’s courageous performance with a torn ACL at Yankee Stadium against Miguel Cotto:
YF: I came home and had 300 friend requests from Puerto Rico from Facebook, so that’s good… that was a joke.
Does Foreman like fighting as a New Yorker?
YF: Being the capital of the world, coming to this city and great country ten years ago, I never even had a vision that I would fight in Yankee Stadium or even be world champion. The saying, ‘If you make it in New York , you can make everywhere work,’ you know, it’s true. In different countries, if you belong to a certain ethnic group, perhaps you’re not going to make it because you’re born a different color. But here, no matter what your background is, if you put in 100 percent, you can make it and nobody will look at you as this [outsider]; you’re a world champion. That’s what’s really great about it. I love this city. I love the people.
On what he would have done differently from the Cotto fight:
YF: Perhaps stay away from the wet, wet patches in the ring. Boxing is not a sprint. It’s a marathon race and I had the plan for 12 rounds, not for six. Unfortunately, when you come to the fight, for example, you have A, B, C plan but with an injury like that, there’s no B plan.
Does Foreman want a rematch with Cotto?
YF: Yea, of course. I’ll always have the desire. It’s up to, of course, Bob [Arum]. But you know, I don’t have a yearly plan.
On how having a child changes everything:
YF: I have a bird, a parrot. Before the baby, the parrot was like my baby. ‘Oh, make sure he eats.’ And after the baby, my parrot just became a pet.
Could Foreman take his fellow actor, Channing Tatum, from Fighting in a real fight?
YF: Channing Tatum? I have a very good chance to beat him up. Smash his head into the water fountain.
Foreman will be on the undercard of the Cotto vs. Mayorga main event, Saturday, March 12, at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Neveda. Cotto vs. Mayorga will be produced and distributed Live on SHOWTIME PPV, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The pay-per-view broadcast will also feature the return of World Boxing Council (WBC) female super welterweight champion CHRISTY MARTIN going for her landmark 50th professional victory against DAKOTA STONE and IBF lightweight champion MIGUEL VAZQUEZ defending his title against mandatory challenger LENNY ZAPPAVIGNA.
