Lihaung Vows To Get Career Back On Track

Tim-Robin Lihaug (16-4, 9 KOs) has vowed to get his career back on track with a victory over Vasyl Kondor (18-18-1, 5 KOs) on February 3 at the SØR Amfi in Arendal as the Bergen-boxer targets a hometown title fight in 2018.

Lihaug, a flag-bearer for Norwegian boxing, has made his name with memorable victories over domestic rivals Simen Smaadal and Arne Ernstsen, a successful WBO Youth Super Middleweight title challenge and a brave attempt at the WBO International Super Middleweight strap versus former two-weight World ruler ’King’ Arthur Abraham.

2017, however, saw the talented 25 year-old suffer back-to-back losses to Tomas Adamek at the Oslo Spektrum and Sergey Gorokhov on the undercard of the World Boxing Super Series quarter-final clash between Mairis Briedis and Mike Perez in Riga.

Despite these defeats, Lihaug believes he still has more to give and has pledged to make a successful comeback in his eight-round light heavyweight contest at the SØR Amfi in Arendal on the undercard Kai Robin Havnaa’s homecoming fight with Marino Goles.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the ring and getting my career back on track,” said Lihaug. “I lost twice last year against good opponents but I don’t want to focus on those fights. It’s what happens next that matters. I know what I’m capable of. I still have a lot of drive and ambition, and I still believe in myself.

“For me, this is the most important fight of my career. Vasyl Kondor is a guy with a lot of experience. He’s gone the distance with some good boxers and he will be coming to win. But I’m not messing around. It’s time for me to go to work for real. I need this victory.

“This year I want to find my rhythm, get some good wins and then challenge for a title. At the end of 2018, I want to be able to say that I’ve turned my career around and that my future is now brighter than ever.

“My dream has always been to box at home in Bergen, and of course, I still want to achieve that. If I win this fight I believe I will be back on track. Then I would like to fight for a title at home in Bergen by the end of this year.”

Lihaug meets Kondor as part of an action-packed Nordic Fight Night event at the SØR Amfi in Arendal featuring Kai Robin Havnaa alongside countrymen Kevin Melhus, Simen Nysaether, Hadi Srour and Aron Janhnsen plus German heavyweight Albon Pervizaj.