Alen Babic acknowledges that "pure chaos" will unfold when he fights Lukasz Rozanski on Saturday night; "He has a bullying style. But you can't bully 'The Savage.' I'm the ultimate bully," Babic said; they fight for the WBC's new bridgerweight title, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm
Saturday 22 April 2023 19:27, UK
Alen Babic is misunderstood. There’s another side to him. Famously he is known as 'The Savage', for the vicious brawler that emerges when he steps into a boxing ring.
It's that attitude that has always impelled him to throw all he can at his opponents, and it's helped him win all but one of his 11 professional fights by knockout.
But, he is convinced, he is more. He can do more.
"I want to box," he said, an appeal to himself more than anyone else.
Babic is adamant that he can show his skill when he takes on Lukasz Rozanski for the WBC's new bridgerweight title, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm on Saturday night.
Bridgerweight is a new division created by the WBC at 224lbs. It's not recognised by any other sanctioning bodies.
If Babic wins the title though it could pave the way for a continued career at heavyweight, or entice big-name cruiserweights to challenge him.
"It's time to step up. And I think I'm more than up for the task. I know what I can do. I know where my boxing abilities are, much higher than Rozanski's so I'm going to try to box. I'm going to try to at least show people some boxing," he told Sky Sports.
"They saw some boxing in my last fight but still not enough to convince them that I am here to stay.
"I'm going nowhere."
Anthony Wilson has been training him. The coach has been trying "to tame that beast".
"It's real. Trust me, it's real," Wilson said. "I let him be him at times. But at certain times he's got to utilise his jab, his feet, his balance, try to work on that.
"I like his boxing ability better than his brawling but I'm sure you're going to see a little bit of it."
The question will be how long Babic can possibly stick to his boxing, before the familiar furious style returns to the fore. Surely his aspirations to box, rather than just fight, will evaporate as soon as Rozanski throws back and the 'Savage' within Babic takes over once again.
"I really want to box this time because I'm a much better boxer than Rozanski is. We are both brawlers but I'm a much better boxer. I've just got to show it," he reflected.
That's unlikely to last beyond the first exchange. Their fight is not expected to go long. Babic still wants a knockout win and Rozanski has never been taken past four rounds. The all-out brawl will likely start early.
"Eleven of my fights were pure chaos. Pure chaos. Every single fight was different and this fight will be like all 11 fights combined. That's what I want," Babic said.
"I want all the experience of those 11 fights to explode in this fight and I can start as a champion the new era of 'The Savage' in my 13th fight."
Rozanski will oblige. He's unbeaten in 14 pro fights and 13 of those were knockout wins.
Babic considers his opponent even "more wild" than he is himself.
"He has a punch, he's a knockout artist. But I've been in there with Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte, Tyson Fury. I've sparred them all and I've felt every kind of power there is in the world," the Croatian said.
"I seriously doubt that he's going to have some power to punish me. He can't box better than me so he's going to feel my power also, which I don't think he's ready for.
"I'm five years younger, in much better shape."
Rozanski is from Rzeszow in Poland where the fight will be held. Babic considers that to be his opponent's "only advantage" but adds: "I don't care.
"His only advantage is also a disadvantage. Because he's going to have pressure on his back. I come here as an outsider, in my mind always," he continued.
"A lot of people still doubt me. I know that. I'm not mad at them. I would also doubt me. Because I also don't know where I'm going, what am I doing here. Because I was just a nobody just three years ago.
"My motivation like always is to prove people wrong. I still have a lot of doubters and that is good. That's what gets me up in the morning. My motivation is always there."
Rozanski's home crowd will, he believes, be "very hostile". That will prompt a response, Babic is convinced of that.
"When I start hearing the roar for blood, I just go crazy. Totally crazy. That 'Savage' comes out," he said.
"He has a bullying style, a bullying mentality. But you can't bully 'The Savage.' I'm the ultimate bully. And the ultimate underdog at the same time. So it's going to be very interesting."
Interesting for him and interesting for those watching to see if he can contain himself for any time at all before he has to break loose and Babic 'The Savage' is unleashed against Rozanski.
It's hard to say just how the fight will unfold, but "pure chaos" is a reasonable prediction for however long, or however briefly, it lasts.
Watch Lukasz Rozanski vs Alen Babic, live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm on Saturday night.
