Raimonds, share your impressions of Vendetta United Stars and your duel with Joe Fox?

- A very good place for such events, the size of the hall, format, atmosphere - everything is at the highest level. As for our fight - I always said that I was well prepared and that I would definitely win, and thereby I added a moral burden to myself, I definitely had to win. But the first round was ambiguous for me and additional excitement appeared. Joe gained weight and showed very good shape. In the second round I pulled myself together and won a landslide victory, after that the third, fourth and subsequent rounds I already confidently brought matches to my victory.

From the side it seemed that it was hard for you to press the opponent’s hand to the pillow when you already controlled everything. Is this somehow related to the injury that you still had on Zloty Tur?

- Yes, this is due to injury, I just did not want to put a heavy load on my shoulder.

I feel it perfectly, it doesn’t bother me at all, maybe psychologically I was not yet ready to fully load it. After the match, I can already say that I didn’t get any injuries, I feel hands great.

Is it possible to say that Joe surprised you and you expected an easier fight for yourself?

- In the first round - yes, he surprised me. In principle, he became heavier than at the Zloty Tur, and perhaps he was more motivated.

Did you have any preferences in the draw - who did you want or would not want to get to?

- Frankly, I didn’t want to get on anyone. To be honest, I didn’t want to get to Kydyrgali Ongarbayev. Oleg Petrenko is sitting next to me – he is a very strong opponent. Rustam Babayev spent a year without victories, he will be very motivated and dangerous. And John remains, for some reason everyone wants to get on him, but I have information, I will not say who told me that John will be in very good shape, so that he will not be a gift.

As a result of the draw in the first stage of Top 8, Raimonds will meet with Oleg Petrenko. Looking forward to a great fight!