Ruslan Provodnikov seeks out the answers

At 15-1, Mauricio Herrera was under the radar. His lone loss was a split decision to Mike Anchondo two years previous but still, he was 30 years old and had 7 knockouts. How hard could it be? Provodnikov was confident of victory. With his hard charging style Provodnikov should have worked inside and broke him in half. At least, that appeared to be the plan and while Provodnikov worked hard all throughout a very good and close fight, the decision went to Herrera who boxed and moved all night to good effect. While he and manager Vadim Kornilov still are not crazy about the unanimous decision loss to Herrera, the fight was a catalyst for change for Provodnikov.

“That fight was very important for me,” Provodnikov told Maxboxing.com this past week. “It really made me think a lot. That is when I found Buddy MCGirt and we started working with him after the fight. And I realized one thing after that fight was that I wasn’t growing as a boxer. My opponents were able to learn what I was doing. With Herrera I couldn’t do much. He pretty much knew what I was doing just from watching my previous fights. So that fight made me change my life and my career. Finding a new trainer. You may have seen that when I fought Ivan Popoca. I was totally different. I was more of a boxer. And I realizes that was the direction I needed to follow. I know a lot of people think they saw a different Ruslan against Popoca but it will be even more in this fight. This fight will show what a different boxer I can be.”

Provodnikov shook off the loss and fought three more times in 2011. In the aforementioned Ivan Popoca fight, Provodnikov did in fact use angles to set up a brutal knockout in the eighth. But in his next fight, against Chop Chop Corley, Provodnikov once again was stymied by movement and boxing skill. Corley, no easy out for anyone, came on in the middle to late rounds after simply keeping Provodnikov off balance in the early going. One can argue it was a close fight for either man. The fight left Ruslan badly cut around both eyes which was visible the day I visited with him at Wild Card. More importantly, Provodnikov had another piece of the boxing puzzle presented to him by Corley.

“The last couple of fights and this fight we have been working on one thing,” explained Provodnikov. “Because I know I can go forward and box and be aggressive. That’s what I do. But I have been trying to learn how to box more, how to move around more and all my training has been focusing on that. The fact that we are changing trainers right now does not affect that we need to be able to move and box if we have to. I want to be able to box and move when I need to and create pressure when it’s time. I don’t want to be only just going forward all the time.”

Style is something innate to each fighter. They all do it with the same intention but the motivations are always unique. True craftsmanship comes from understanding what tools to mask and capitalize on that.

“I think that the person’s character makes his style a lot. So I can’t change,” said Ruslan. “The way I fight is the way I will remain. But obviously I will add some changes and some tools to my fighting style. But the way I fight is going to be the same I think.”

Kornilov explained in more detail what the desired effect is.

“The style that we are kind of putting into the style that he has now, to be able to move and put out that combination and move over to the side, move over to the other side,” said Kornilov. “Lateral movement and not stand in front of the fighter as much as he used to. That will create more of a defensive style for him and the punches will come in that he can use lighter punches when he needs to and harder combinations when he needs to.”

In short, Provodnikov is learning the off-speed pitch.

“Exactly,” said Kornilov. “So he can combine styles a little bit.”

This time out on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, Provodnikov heads to the Quiet Canyon Resort in Washington state to face off with David Torres, a fighter who has been stopped by the likes of Ray Beltran and Julio Diaz as of late.

“We were supposed to fight Julio Diaz but Diaz wanted 147 or 146,” explained Kornilov. “He wanted to it over the limit and we said no because Ruslan is always fighting at 140. I guess he wasn’t making the weight.”

Now it’s Torres and a shot at another regional title. While some may look at Torres as an easy assignment, Ruslan understands what is at stake. One false move and any title dreams he has are over.

“I never underestimate fighters. I may have in the past but I know I can’t now,” he said. “This is on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. My opponent is going to prove that I am not as good as I they say I am. I can’t listen to that. This is another great fight. Another great opponent. Mexican style. I expect that Mexican type of a fight. It’s going to be a battle I think but I expected the most from this guy. I know he is getting ready to show his best fight because he is fighting on the main event on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.”

Ruslan has made a habit of tune up at the Wild Card over the past few years. He enjoys the variety of sparring it brings to his camps. Now, he has decided to make it home and Roach has agreed to be his trainer.

“I think that every new trainer can bring tricks to the table. But Freddie Roach will no doubt bring something that will add to my style,” said Ruslan.

“We always come back to Wild Card,’ said Kornilov. “He’s always wanted to work with Freddie for a long time. Because of Freddie’s time schedule it hadn’t happened. But he said he hoped he would find time to spend more time in the corner in this and future fights. The fact that has just beaten DeMarcus Corley for the Asian Pacific title and we are facing David Lopez for the intercontinental title and we are looking to get a title shot for him sooner rather than later, it has become important he has a trainer like Freddie Roach.”

2011 was a busy year for Provodnikov. It bright change and a search for the fighter Ruslan wants to be. 2012 is the year he hopes to find the answers to the question of who he can be.

“I want to show my fans a different Ruslan. Not the Ruslan they saw against Herrera but a more progressed, more technically sound Ruslan,” Provodnikov explained. “And hopefully by the end of the year I will have a clearer picture of where I have progressed towards a title shot. I am getting my second my regional title in this fight. Hopefully I am getting closer to a world title. That is what I want.”

For now, he stays in the moment, eyes focused firmly on each fight keenly aware that with each win he comes closer to destiny.

“It not important to me what the other guy is doing or what he did to prepare for this fight,” Ruslan explained before we parted. He wanted this point to be known. “I know he is going to come in tough but for me, this is for the WBO intercontinental title. I am at that point where it’s either going to happen or it’s not going to happen. So it is one of the most important fights for me not matter what level the opponent is. For me it’s not about what he’s doing. I know I did everything I can to prepare for this fight. Hopefully that’s going to show in the ring.”