Artur Szpilka has reminisced over his interaction with Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis in the moments before his fight with Deontay Wilder.
On January 16, 2016, ‘The Pin’ challenged ‘The Bronze Bomber’ for the WBC heavyweight world title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
In a remarkable display, the underdog boxed beautifully, making his opponent miss before coming back with his own heavy blows.
Alas, in the end, Wilder knocked Szpilka out cold with a right hand. But regardless of the result, the former soccer hooligan still took a lot of positives away from that night.
WOW: Deontay Wilder got dropped by a fighter with a 17-20-2 record… ‘He’s out on his feet’
Artur Szpilka recalls heartwarming Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis story
Artur Szpilka, defines what it means to be a warrior. Whether it be on the streets, in the ring, or even inside the cage, the scrapper is willing to put it all on the line in pursuit of victory.
His ferocious fighting spirit has resonated with the people of Poland, with an army of fans turning up to his showdown with Deontay Wilder.
The presence of his supporters filled Szpilka with joy, and spending the moments before the contest with three of the greatest heavyweights of all time, made things even sweeter.
In an exclusive interview with Bloody Knockout, he explained: “Each fight for the world championship is a cherry on top. It’s a dream come true. Before that fight, I was one of the happiest people on Earth.
“I was standing in the ring next to Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. They were all there with me when they were playing my anthem.
“All the Polish immigrants were singing, and I could feel shivers down my spine. Michael Buffer was in charge of announcing. It doesn’t matter if I won the title or not; I still competed for it. Nobody can take away those memories from me.”
Artur Szpilka returns to action at KSW 105
On Saturday evening at KSW 105, inside the PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland, Artur Szpilka will fight inside the cage against Errol Zimmerman.
And having lost in his last outing, the fan favorite knows he needs to produce a big performance.
The 36-year-old explained: “Everything depends on the first round, it’s going to make it clear what can happen. My intention is to demonstrate my boxing skills, so to go back to my origin instead of wilding out with Superman punches or flying knees. They didn’t work last time, so that’s enough.
“I have to focus on what I do best, meaning my footwork, throwing combinations… who knows, maybe I’ll even go for a takedown.
“Me and Errol met when we were filming our trailer. I was shocked to see how much weight he lost, but when you’re preparing for Artur Szpilka, you want to be in the best shape of your life.
“I don’t feel like a superstar, but more like a man who owes everything in his life to hard work. I’m feeling like a guy who’s inciting emotions, someone you can’t simply ignore.”