Bertrand FLEURET
Interview of Bertrand FLEURET by Serge TREFEU (2008)
Serge TREFEU: Hello, can you present yourself to our readers?
BERTRAND FLEURET: Hello I am called Bertrand Fleuret, I am 28 years old, of the Eighty. I work with the SNCF (Train Railroad) which I sponsored. I do not have arranged schedules but I training myself every day. Now that I have a little experiment in boxing I know how to manage my training…
You began boxing at which age?
I started at 14 years
You started very early?
There is which starts young person but boxing with kick when one even wants really start some later one can manage to do something…
You started in which gym?
With Saintes in Charente-Maritime. I am originating in over there, I do not have the Toulouse accent (south accent French because he live in Toulouse)…
You have boxing for a long time in Charente-Maritime?
Yes during 8 years, until my 22 years.
You have do many fights in the area?
I fought much at the La Rochelle and city Bordeaux. And everywhere in the area…
You began boxing by Full Contact?
Yes I started with Full Contact, I have make only of Full Contact
You left the area Charente-Maritime to come to city of Toulouse why?
Because with my trainer in city Saintes that went less better. The gym where I was did not have the potential to carry out me beyond the championship of France. I knew Alain Bonadei (trainer of boxing gym of city Muret) and I came to install me in Toulouse. But meanwhile I boxed on Marseilles during 1 year and half. After I was in the “hands” of Alain Bonadei who went up me well because I was during a dirty time. I knew tops and bottoms, and there I was very low. Now its good…
How is called the gym or you training yourself today?
Boxing Gym of Muret. Gym of Full Contact which is to 20 km from Toulouse to the Gymnasium Albert Camus.
How much did you carry out fights since the beginning of your career?
Surroundings 80 fights. By counting the fights amateurs and Professional
How much do you have victory and defeats?
As an amateur I do not know too much any more. As a Pro I have 50 fights, 35 wins, 5 draws and 10 losses. I make a point of adding that I never took K.O of my life…
You have only defeats at the points?
Yes, frankly I took the “good ones” but I was never K.O. Last year I fought against Malik Mangouchi (World champion Full Contact WFCA, World champion of Thai Boxing WFCA) and it was a very hard fight. It strikes super extremely but I left myself well there, I lost only at the points…
Precisely which was for you one of your hardest fight?
I think that it is my fight against Gary Hamilton (world champion of Full Contact WKN). I have made a championship of the world against him two years ago. I lost at the points again him, not of much, but that be hard because I did not succeed in finding the opening. I am made count with the twelfth round and it is that which makes me lose the match. Hamilton it is a hard Irishman with the evil which is world champion since 5 years already. One it was met once in Switzerland and I had make draw against him. One finds oneself for the title and I lose of three points. I very gave during 12 rounds to find the opening and him it touches me with the 11th rounds, it is a world champion…
One can say that you are Vice World champion?
Yes one can say that. I have made also a championship of the World against Fouad Habani (8 times world champion of full contact!) last year in Mulhouse. I lost against him but I was warned two days front, I have made this fight with the foot raised following the wound of his adversary. I have to lose 2Kg500 in two days because I am not completely in the same category as Habani. I boxing in – 63 kg and there it were necessary to make – of 61 kg. But that was a super fight. At the it beginning was not obvious because I led to the points until the seventh recoveries then it took the ascending one on me. I have of it an excellent memory, it was in the sports hall city of Mulhouse which was full to crack, 3000 people!
And frankly I have enormously respected for Fouad Habani. Because one month and half before one it was boxed in city of Marseilles and I had beaten it in 7 rounds. After this fight there, our championship day before of the world, it said to the journalists, “the fight of Marseilles it was one 7 round it did not have there a title in plays, I very did not show, there I am ready and one will see… ”. And it did what it said. It is the mark of a great champion. In more it is 34 years old, it had stopped during 2 years and come back on this level it is really not obvious. It is for that I have much respect towards him it is very cool…
Which title did you gain until now?
I took the belt of Europe Champion Pro again Portuguese Clémente Bruno in 2007 in city of Muret. I gave in plays my belt to Switzerland and I am made steal over there, I lost my belt. I was France Champion Pro at 21 years, I passed Pro rather early to 20 years, that made 8 years that I am Professional. Sometimes I show a little the blow, but time that I have the form I continue…
You boxing only in Full Contact, you test other boxing?
Yes I boxing only Full Contact but I am interested to fight in kick boxing. It is for that I come to training in Tago Gym (Thai boxing gym) in Toulouse with Teddy Guillemet (trainer Tago gym). For acquire the reflexes of the kicks in the legs…
Are you already boxing into Boxing?
So into Boxing I have badly do not make fight as an amateur. I have besides made the championships of France amateur two years ago in Paris. I have 10 fights for 7 wins into English. After I did not persevere into Boxing because for me one takes too much hit in the head. Even with the training hit only in the head. Also often the trainers of Boxing, forgiveness for them, they have a little evil to accept the guys who come from the kick boxing…
You work with the SNCF but could you lives with the credit of your fight?
Not it is impossible. Its good for my ends of the month but it is all. I really boxing to prove tricks with myself to me, if it were that for the money for a long time I would have make other things…
You practise other sports that boxing?
Yes I am impassioned of sport. I make also tennis and squatche. Moreover in my preparations of fights I make squatche enormously because for the cardio it is really super!
Do you have particular techniques which you like to place in fights?
One of my “secret boxing” it is the side kick. I like much this technique…
What do you think of the actual position of Full Contact in France?
In fact it is in half-tone because the level is very good. I think of guy like Bruce Codron, Fouad Habani even if it is a little on the end. Of the guy like Sebastien Pace on Marseilles and Yannick Tamas on Muret which will be very strong. There are goods in France but what does not follow they are the official receptions and especially it is the “chaotic” with the federation…
There how much federation in Full-contact is currently?
There is full, it there with the ISKA, the WAKO Pro, the WKN, there is full with others, they seek all each one to make money instead of going together. I think that Full-contact will be never Olympic sport, it is harm because it is a beautiful discipline…
How did you discover this sport?
I discovered this sport at 14 years in a small town close to city Saintes. Before I had make 4 years of judo, the foot and tennis too. And here I am register in Full-contact and I have made my way…
Do you want to add something to finish?
I give small hello with the best boxer than I met and with whom I training myself with the CREPS (sport school) of Toulouse it is Modibo Diarra (world champion and Europe Champion of French boxing). It is really somebody of very extremely, he with morphology to make boxing, he has great segments, he is intelligent, and he boxing really super good…
Thank you and good continuation
Thank you
BERTRAND FLEURET
Weight: 63 kg
Number of fight: 80 fights. 50 fights Pro. 35 wins. 5 draws and 10 losses
Title: Europe Champion Pro. France Champion Pro.