Arijan Goricki survives life and fights for an International featherweight title

Arijan Goricki was 15 when his father threatened him with a knife. Soon after, he went to his uncle’s gym to learn how to survive and protect his family.

“The first time I stepped into a boxing gym, I knew that I belonged,” Goricki told this writer via an email last week. “Since that day, nothing has been the same.”

Goricki’s short amateur career consisted of six fights. The amateur game didn’t suit him, so he turned professional in 2017. He has been learning on the job since.

He was 8-0 when he fought Ukrainian, Valeril Romanenia in Germany last year.

Romanenia won the fight.

” That day nothing was going as it should,” said Goricki. “First, they put our fight from eight to six rounds. In the first round, Romanenia broke my eardrum, I had no legs under me and was practically deaf for the next three rounds. I thought that I will be deaf for life. At the end of the fourth round, my hearing started to come back and I was getting back in the fight. Unfortunately, because we had only two more rounds, it wasn’t enough.”

The loss stunned Goricki, but soon after, his sentiments changed. One has to learn to succeed.

“I think that that loss was the best thing that happened to my career,” Goricki said. “I realized that I needed to change some things, and bring new coach that was hungry as me for success. I am thankful for that loss because it opened my eyes and teach me so much.”

Goricki and Romanenia fought again less than three months later.

This time, the result was different.

“I know that he didn’t beat me because he was better than me,” said Goricki. “That was just his night. In the rematch, I controlled the fight from the first to 

the last round and beat him comfortably.”

The win was huge and sustaining. Goricki has won three bouts since his latest, earning him a fight against Luis Millan for the International featherweight championship Dec. 17th.

“We were supposed to fight the former European champion for the European title, but unfortunately, he suffered a cut and pulled out of our fight. We then offered fight to more than fifteen good ranked fighters and offered them generous purses, but they turned the fight down. Millan was the only serious fighter that was ready and sign the contract immediately. Millan is an experienced boxer. As a professional, he has 26 fights, 21 of which he won.

“He is extremely strong, as his record shows, in 21 victories, 15 of them did not reach the final bell. Like all boxers from South America, Millan has the heart and will to win, especially when he comes with a victory against a boxer in his backyard,” added Goricki.

Goricki’s family will be at the Sportska Dvorana Bilankusa in Croatia to cheer him on this weekend, but not his father.

“I haven’t seen him since he attacked me in 2013,” Goricki said.

No matter, Arjan Goricki has found his passion and proved to himself he can succeed.

And that alone says a lot.