“I’ll win in the first round, that’s my destiny… but I can fight for five days.”
TO just under 24 hours until the fight of his life against Volkanovski (26-3-0), Ilya Topuria (14-0-0) looks calm. There is no nervousness in his gaze. The confidence he expresses is real and not just talk. “It will be terrible, I assure you. Tomorrow we will write history. It will be something historic for Spain, for Georgia… and for me personally.” He who believes creates reality,” he said in front of the Spanish media present in Anaheim. Among them is MARCA.
It will be terrible, I assure you. Tomorrow we will write history
Many people in Spain expect: “More than 100 people came here. 100 are from my family alone. This fight really feels special. You feel so supported and I’m really glad I can live this and enjoy it. As I have said many times, I asked God for this, I visualized it in many moments. I wanted to do it, no one forced me. I look at the octagon where I will shine tomorrow night. Grateful. “I don’t have many words left.”
The night before the fight: “I will dream what I have dreamed about until now. I’ll go to dinner with my family, with my whole team… I really like it. I asked God about this. I don’t feel pressure, I feel grateful. “Dinner? Pretty clean food…accompanied by protein and chicken. Sleep? Very good. And even more so today. The hardest night was yesterday. Tonight I’ll sleep like a baby. Tomorrow is my dream day. I’m very excited.”
Today I will sleep like a baby. Tomorrow is my dream day. I am so excited
Volkanovsky: “I see that, and at the same time it’s a little difficult to fight such a good person. What I told him yesterday is what I really think: I respect him as a person, I respect him as a professional.” ..but I’m fighting for my dream. And he’s in my way. We are two professionals, and I hope that tomorrow he will understand that.”
Future relationship with Volkanovski: “It might be… when our careers are over… maybe you’ll see me in the kitchen with the Wolf, cooking something delicious and drinking. Of course, yes, I’m not closing this door. Today we are people, and “He is fighting for a better life for his family. I’m doing the same thing”.
Message to the Spaniards: “Tomorrow you will have to wake up and see a person who has been pursuing his dream for a long time. You will see an example of a person who, if he believes and trusts himself, anything is possible. It doesn’t matter where you come from as long as you know where you’re going. “What we have in front of us is much more important than what we have behind us. Just stand up and fight for your dreams”:
The public is against: “I’m very used to it. They have never been on my side…in fact, this time I had the most people supporting me. I always fought in my rivals’ house. now I’m fighting a world champion who I “People respect him a lot for everything he’s given. It is clear that he is on his side, but tomorrow a new champion will be born and we will change that.”
Celebration after the victory: “The team planned to hold a press conference with all media. Then we will come up with something that we can share with all the people.”
This has always been my destiny. I always visualized it. I always saw that when this fight came, it would be entertaining in the first round.
Victory by knockout in the first round: “Without a doubt it will be in the first round. This has always been my destiny. I always visualized it. I always saw that when this fight came, it would be entertaining in the first round. I didn’t prepare for a five-time fight. round battle, of course. “Five minutes… I’ve been preparing for the fight for five days. I’m extremely prepared. This is the best camp I’ve ever had. One of the most difficult, one of the most professional…”