One on One Interview with Germany's Natascha Ragosina!
By Sue TL Fox
April 12, 2006

(APR 12) WBAN got an opportunity to interview Germany's Natascha Ragosina this week.  Ragosina, 10-0-0 (7KO), will be fighting this Saturday, on April 15, 2006, and will be facing United States Carlette Ewell, 10-4-0 (8 KOs), in Magdeburg, Germany. The program will be televised on D:SF (Astra) at 21:00 (Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome) and 8 pm (London).

TL Fox:  Can you tell us why you decided to get into professional boxing?

N Ragosina:  I have always taken great interest in sports. I used to do athletics until I was 14. Then I started with kick-boxing, where I twice won the title of a World Champion. Since 1997 boxing has been my passion, first as an amateur and starting with June 2004 as a professional boxer. 

TL Fox:   How many amateur boxing matches did you have before turning pro?

N Ragosina: I have had 30 fights and I am proud to say I have won all of them.

TL Fox:  Do you find it difficult to get opponents to fight you in Germany?

N Ragosina: There are not so many boxers in my weight division in Europe. I will probably soon have fought them all (she laughs). However I remarked that ever since I've been boxing, a lot of female boxers also started their professional boxing career in super-middleweight here in Europe.

TL Fox:   You were very impressive when you defeated not only United States Valerie Mahfood, but also Dakota Stone---are you wanting to fight Laila Ali?

N Ragosina: Thank you for the compliment. Valerie Mahfood and Dakota Stone are very good boxers and I learned a lot out of these fights. Of course I would like to fight Laila Ali. I think that the highest goal both for me as well as for Laila Ali should be to compete against each other in order to determine and to “crown” the true Queen of Boxing.

TL Fox:   Is there any talk in the near future of an Ali-Ragosina match?

N Ragosina: I cannot answer this question, but I think my manager Ulf Steinforth is working on it.

TL Fox:  Are there other boxers you would like to fight next?

N Ragosina: I want to box them all who accept my challenge. Names are hollow words, I know that there are some good girls boxing in my weight division and I want to fight them one after the other and to win those fights.

TL Fox:   Do you box full-time, or do you work and train at the same time?

N Ragosina: Professional boxing is my full-time job.

TL Fox:  How does your family feel about you boxing?

N Ragosina: My mother still has something against it. Actually she has never been to any of my fights. I suppose that she still thinks of me as of her little girl. She is afraid something unexpected might happen and cannot see me in the ring. The rest of my family is very proud of me. My biggest fan and my greatest support in life is my son, Iwan (4 years old).

TL Fox:   How long do you see yourself staying in boxing, and what are some of your long-range goals?

N Ragosina: My long-range goals are to always win and to unify all titles existing in my weight division. I want to box for as long as I feel fit to do so and for as long as I am on the winner side. I would let it go when my condition is not so good anymore. I would never endanger my role as a mother.

TL Fox:  Have you been able to get into other aspects of boxing, i.e., commentating, on television shows, etc? 

N Ragosina: Yes, I have been a commentator for the Russian Amateur World Championships. I really enjoyed it. I was also a guest in several television shows on women's boxing in Russia, where women's boxing is becoming a popular issue.

TL Fox:  Do you think that you will ever come to the United States to fight?

N Ragosina: Well, boxing is an international business. Everything is possible, because boxing is popular all over the world. I would even go fighting on the moon if that was possible  (she laughs). But I feel very comfortable in Germany and I enjoy having such a big fan community here.

TL Fox:   Is there anything you would like to tell boxing fans?

N Ragosina: I would like to thank them for supporting me. It is a wonderful feeling to have so much appreciation and recognition as a female boxer. I consider myself lucky to have fans all over the world and such great fan communities both in my home country and in Germany, my chosen home.

TL Fox: Any advice for other women boxers who are thinking about getting into the sport?

N Ragosina: I would like to tell them that this is a major decision which will influence their lives. When one thinks about taking that step, the goals related to it must be clear. There are a lot of sacrifices that must be made, starting with every-day-life comforts up to the fact that a career as a professional boxer demands 110 % of what you can do. 100 % is not enough, you must deliver 110% in order to come forward and to succeed. To those who think of getting into this sport, but are only half-heartedly committed, I would say not to start with it at all. 

WBAN would like to thank Natascha for taking time out of her busy schedule to be interviewed!  Sue TL Fox