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Interview with Three Time Canadian Amateur Champion Yves Ulysses Jr

By Jeff Emond Jeffrey

 

 Training in the the Gym “Le champion” in Montreal, Quebec, Yves Ulysses Jr had already proved he was a promising star in the boxing world with his dedication to the sweet science, fast hand speed and movements. Now boxing in the amateur ranks, Yves will have to decide between the London Olympics or becoming a professional prize fighter. Either way, boxing fans will be thrilled to see him in action.

 

The Boxing Examiner : How did you become interested in boxing?

 

Yves Ulysses Jr: It really was seeing Floyd Mayweather Jr in action. This guy is unbelievable in the ring. Especially when he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. Those are two artists of the game. More so, they fought for millions of dollars. So I told myself, I would like to do that. Boxing is wonderful, sometimes it can be a war, but you have to play a chess match to win that war. When I first entered the gym at eighteen years of age, I said : I want to become a world champion. I soon learned that boxing was a world of sacrifices and hard work.

 

Plus, I’m more into individual sports than playing for a team. Because if you make mistakes, you only have yourself to blame and it’s easier to improve yourself than others. I used to play football and basketball. I didn’t like to think I had to wait for one of my teammates to be injured to have a chance to play. I’m a good person, I would never wish for one guy to be hurt to have a chance to play, its unnatural and evil to think that way. But I have to admit, I’m a sore loser, I don’t even let my girlfriend win when we play videogames. On the other hand, it helps me to push myself to another level in boxing. I will never accept defeat.

 

TBE: You were a very good basketball player. How did it help you in boxing?

 

YU: For me basketball and boxing are very similar. I already had quick hand speed, which is a gift. Basketball helped my lateral movements and cardio. You always have to be aware of where you are, viewing the action on the court and looking for openings to make the right play at the right time. As for boxing, I have to be aware of my position in the ring, to analyse my opponent’s stance and movements. Does he have his left hand low? Do I have time to throw the right shot at the right moment?

 

TBE: How was your time in training?

 

YU: Well, you are pretty much left by yourself in the early weeks. My trainer Raynald took notice of me and told me to try different things, like leg movements and throwing in combinations. He thought I learned very quickly and did not want to burn steps along the way. I already had very good footwork because of basketball. The hardest part of boxing to me is learning how to move in the ring for attack and defence and avoid having my back on the ropes. You can allow yourself to attack going forward all the time and never retreat going back, but you have to do it side to side. Most importantly, boxing is hitting an opponent without being hit at the same time.

 

TBE: What is the hardest part of boxing to you?

 

YU: The diet. You can’t eat whatever you like, that’s very hard.

 

TBE: Who’s your favourite boxer ?

 

YU: Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s in a different class than most fighters. He’s a legend. He’s too fast for anyone and moves like a cat in there.

 

TBE: What was the first fight you saw on television?

 

YU: My father showed me the Sugar Ray Leonard vs Marvin Hagler fight. He also told me people are still arguing about who won that fight. According to me, there are two ways to look at this classic and it also means two different answers. From an amateur boxing style, Leonard won the fight. In many rounds, Leonard didn’t do much in there, he just waited for the last 30 seconds of the round the threw some shots at Hagler and moved back, scoring points like an amateur fight. From a professional point of view, Hagler put a lot of pressure on Leonard throughout the fight and landed a lot more power shots. Plus Leonard had his back on the ropes most of the time. But, both of them looked amazing that night, what a fight!

 

TBE: According to you, what is the difference between the amateurs and the pros?

 

YU: It’s two different worlds. I’m not a pro yet, but I’ve boxed with a lot of them. The amateur ranks are tough because you have to keep your record as clean as possible. You fight often and against experienced guys, which is very fine by me. In the world amateur championship, I fought a Hungarian fighter who had over 300 amateur bouts on his record. To be able to adapt in the ring to any fighters, you have to gain as much experience as you can and carry it into the pro ranks. That’s why it’s important to have a good amateur background when you start as a pro.

 

TBE: What is your amateur record so far?

 

YU: I have over 42 wins and only 10 defeats. I was in the quarterfinals versus Bradley Saunders of England at the XIX Commonwealth games in Delhi, India, in 2010. I had already won my two previous bouts against Abdur Rahim and Frederick Lawson. I’m also a three time Canadian amateur champion at light welterweight. I just won the 2012 national championship in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, against Lexton Bates of Ontario.

 

TBE: Which top prospect did you defeat on your journey?

 

YU: Jessie Wilcox and Josh Wagner for the first two Canadian championships. I lost by one point to Roman Makovoz in 2010 but beat him a little bit later.

 

TBE: What is the most important quality a fighter should have?

 

YU: Determination. With iron-minded thinking, you can move mountains.

 

TBE: How do you prepare yourself for big tournaments?

 

YU: There is no one way really. It depends on the level of the tournament. But my team prepared me a system which I’m comfortable with called the Super 7. Before each competition I have to repeat a pattern each day in my training: 7 rounds of sparring, 7 rounds of pads, 7 rounds of work on the bags, and doing a lot of sprints for example. Of course, we have to adjust it depending on who I’m fighting. Since I have good hand speed, we always try to improve the executions, the precision, the tactics and when to explode in the ring.

 

TBE: How do you describe yourself as a fighter?

 

YU: At first, I would say I was a counter-puncher. With time and experience and the fighters I sparred with, I am now an all around fighter. I believe I can do it all.

 

TBE: Which well-known fighters have you sparred with?

 

YU: Antonin Décarie when he was getting ready for Souleymane M’baye. Adrian Diaconu and Jo Jo Dan, when he was getting ready for the first Selcuk Aydin fight. There is also Kevin Bizier, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz, Benoit Gaudet, Mikael Zewski, the 2004 silver medalist Yudel Johnson. I learned so much form theses amazing boxers. All these experiences evolve my quickness and creativity in the ring. You know, when it comes to experiences, you can’t buy it, you build it.

 

TBE: Will you go to the Olympic games in London this summer?

 

YU: I don’t know yet. I will have to talk to my team about what is best for me, the Olympics or starting a pro career.

 

The Boxing Examiner asked Rénald Boisvert, Yves Ulysses Jr’s trainer, what set him apart from other fighters?

 

Rénald Boisvert: Yves has a tremendous will to be a fighter and to improve himself and one day become a world champion. Athletes like Yves come around once a generation and well-known trainers like Stéphane Larouche agree with me. Yves possesses natural abilities to be a good fighter like creativity, ring smarts, quickness of course and timing. What I mean by that is he can stop his movements if you change your pad movements at the last second, when you asked for an uppercut instead of a hook. Sometimes other fighters miss the target and hurt their elbows when they throw shots, Yves doesn’t. He throws the right blows at the right moment, that is his greatest quality, he doesn’t waste punches.

 

People have to know something about boxing and Yves. The human being can be cruel and sensible at the same time. In life and boxing, those feeling are totally in opposition, but can change in a split second. Not long ago, Yves knocked out an opponent in devastating fashion. Then I saw the cruelty and triumph in his eyes. He liked the result of his work, there is no doubt. After he realised that he hurt one of his friends, he became sensible and started caring for the well-being of his opponent. Boxers need the animal instinct to win over a fighter, especially if they care about their adversary. Yves has this quality in him, the desire to execute his foe.