(JUNE 3) Özlem "Sugar" Sahin [9-0-1, KOs 4] has been a professional boxer for less than three years. On June 5, she will fight in Istanbul in a preliminary fight at the WBC world championship match in welterweight between Selcuk Aydin and Ionut Dan Ion. I recently got an opportunity to speak with Sahin about her upcoming bout.

UB: On June 5 you will fight in Istanbul, Turkey.

SAHIN:  That’s right.

UB: What can you tell us about your opponent?

SAHIN: My opponent is Oksana Romanova [7-10-1, KOs 1] from Ukraine. Her last fight was against Hagar Shmoulefeld Finer. She also fought against Julia Sahin and Bettina Csabi. Romanova is an experienced boxer and I’m really looking forward to that match.

UB: Your opponent is a head taller than you.

SAHIN:  Yes, but that is nothing unusual for me. Nearly all my opponents were taller.

UB:  The upcoming title fight is in junior flyweight?

SAHIN:  Yes, up to 49 kg.

UB:  But you aren’t actually junior flyweight. SAHIN:  No, actually I am a minimum weight. I’m minimum because I have problems with keeping my weight, that means I have difficulties not losing my kilos. I have to train hard for every gram. For me it wouldn’t be a problem to keep the limit for a minimum weight, which is 47.6 kilos. I could do that anytime, without any training or effort. That means at the moment I have to fatten up to bring my weight up from now 48 kilos to the 49 kg required in junior flyweight. That is as hard, if not harder, than trying to lose weight.

UB:  Why do you fight in a higher weight class?

SAHIN: There are practically no female boxers in Europe who fight minimum weight. There is only one, Krisztina Belinszky, and she is already world champion [WIBF]. I don’t think that a world champion is keen to box a six rounder.

UB: When we talked before this interview you told me that you are planning to have flags sewn on your boxing shorts.

SAHIN: Yes, that is my idea, and I have already ordered a seamstress to sew two flags on my boxing skirt, not shorts!

So I guess it will be the German and the Turkish flag on your skirt.
Yes.

UB: Why both?

SAHIN: Why both? Because I am a German Turk. My origin is Turkish. I was born in Turkey, and grew up there until I was about 10. And I live, work an tgrain in Germany. Germany has become my second home country. I thought that it could look a little odd if a Turkish-born boxer, who lives in Germany, enters a ring in Turkey. The two flags on my boxing skirt will show my fellow countrymen that even when I am boxing for Germany, I do not forget where I come from. The more so because my Turkish fans love me so much, they want to see me and they have made it possible for me to fight. With these flags I am telling them that, whether I fight for Germany of for Turkey or for any other country, I am a Turk and a German after all.

UB: There is also a number on your shorts.

SAHIN: Skirt [laughs]. I’m a boxing lady. I’m a lady till the ring bell sounds and then I’m a fighter. Yes, that is another signal. On my skirt there is the number 61. In Germany, cities are abbreviated by letters. ‘For example, my city is Ludwigsburg, and the licence plate for cars and motorbikes is LB, for Ludwigsburg. In Turkey, cities are abbreviated by numbers. Trabzon, the Turkish city I was born in has the number 61. I want the people who watch this fight live on TV in Turkey and in the world to see this. They will recognise this number and know what it means, at least when they are from Turkey. At this point I want to stress that I really appreciate that there are still people who are willing to organise such an event, who bear the costs and give me the opportunity to box. I also want to thank Jürgen Lutz (WIBF) for his cooperation with the Turkish boxing representatives.

UB:  What do you think of female boxing in Germany?

SAHIN: You’ve forgotten something.

UB: What did I forget?

SAHIN:  On my skirt there will also be the LB for Ludwigsburg. You see, it’s never easy with Sahin.

UB:  I try it again: What do you think of female boxing in Germany?

SAHIN: I think that all female boxers who are boxing now and will be boxing in future should first of all say thanks to Regina Halmich. She has made female boxing a respectable sport in Germany. Today, the situation is not too rosy. The audience and the media liked Regina not only because of her sport successes but also for her personality and charisma. I’m really curious to see which of the girls has what it takes to make it with the audience.

UB: How do you feel boxing the first time in Turkey?

SAHIN: It is very exciting. I haven’t been to Turkey since I started focusing my life on boxing, and now I’ll be boxing there. I receive many e-mails from Turkish fans, so I know that they like to watch my fights. And I think it’s great that they can watch me life in Turkey soon. Anyway, I’m looking forward to it, and I hope that it will be a good fight that my fans will enjoy.

UB: Are you nervous?

SAHIN: Yes. It isn’t nervous like, oh my God, the opponent, what shall I do. I’m nervous because I can’t wait for the fight to start. I can’t wait for the day when I finally can get into the ring and get rid of all that adrenalin.

UB:  What are your wishes for the future?

SAHIN: My only wish now is to deal with the fight on May 8, and be successful. I’m sure that I can think of other wishes after that. And I hope that I will get two more 8-rounders after that and then, of course, my own title bout.

(c) Uwe Betker