“I was like a wall. He couldn’t do anything. And it was like the wall was slowly closing in on him as the fight went along.”
We continue our conversation with the American heavyweight hope Eddie Chambers who discusses in detail his monster win over Alexander Dimitrenko and what it’s going to take to slay the dragon Wladimir Klitschko…
BoxingInsider: First round against Dimitrenko, as the big underdog, did you know you would win? Did you see the flaws, did you have the correct strategy?
Eddie Chambers: “Oh yeah. I felt great. I watched video. He’s very talented. Big, fast, all that. But there were things he did wrong, decisions made, issues he had with certain things. Being dropped before, being hurt. You could say certain Europeans don’t have the heart like the Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans guys. But he kept coming back. But, you see all those things Dimitrenko had, I turned it around on him. I had the strategy. The jab I had was almost invisible. When he threw a punch I’m gonna make sure he didn’t land it. I didn’t even want him touching my body. And if he did, he got away with one. I was extra hard on myself. I ran hard, trained hard, sparred hard (with Kevin Burnett, Marcellus Brown), everything. I was ready.”
BoxingInsider: He’s tall with a long reach. The scouting report on him is he doesn’t use his height and reach advantage like a big man should.
Eddie Chambers: “He actually does. But I actually nullified it. Watch the fights he had before. He likes to get inside and bang away. He has a full, well-rounded game, like Wladimir. He can fight inside a little bit. He’s disciplined. But he’s not as good as Wladimir. Talented, world class, well schooled fighter. But I proved I’m above that.”
BoxingInsider: He was obviously confident going in. When did you see doubt creep in on him? When did you begin to sense Dimitrenko realized he was in trouble?
Eddie Chambers: “Actually I think it was the second round. He couldn’t really land anything. He couldn’t get a foot-hold. He couldn’t sustain anything in particular at all. He was a lot bigger, like a bully. He threw something and I went under it. And I picked him up off the ground. He gave me this crazy look, like he was so surprised. Then he tried to hold me and push me. I was like a wall. He couldn’t do anything. And it was like the wall was slowly closing in on him as the fight went along. There’s nothing he could really do. His will was completely broken by about the seventh, eighth round. It was completely, but it was broken before that.”
BoxingInsider: You were impressive and competitive against Povetkin also, landing many solid rights. But it seemed your conditioning let you down.
Eddie Chambers: “I had about 17 days of good camp days. I tried to stuff so much in that little bit of time. And it wasn’t enough. What really happened was for that time I overtrained. Trying to do three-a-days every day but Thursday and Sunday.”
BoxingInsider: What will be the key to beating Wladimir Klitschko?
Eddie Chambers: “Have a great plan. If you’re gonna beat a great fighter you gotta have a great plan. So what I’m gonna have is a great plan, great camp, great conditioning. And my ability is gonna speak for itself when that day comes.”
BoxingInsider: You look in great shape right now.
Eddie Chambers: “I am. I’ll never let it get above or near 220. I changed my diet and regimen. I cut out all the bad foods. You just have to eat in moderation. And no eating past certain times before you go to bed.”
BoxingInsider: Pacquiao vs. Floyd who wins if they ever fight?
Eddie Chambers: “Very tough fight for Floyd because Pacquiao is a different type fighter. Exceptionally strong. Not tall, everybody thinks he’s small but if you look at his legs, they’re like tree trunks. He got football player legs. That’s going to make it difficult. But Floyd is so sharp, ccounterpuncher, movement. I believe he’ll beat him by unanimous decision.”
