Alex Rozman [2-7-0]

You were an experienced MMA fighter before switching to boxing. What made you decide to pursue a boxing career?

Stand-up was more my strong point in MMA. I would always prefer the opportunity to stand and trade punches rather than take it to the ground and try to make a guy submit or choke him out. For that reason, it was a smart decision for me to switch to boxing.

What would you say are some of the key differences between MMA stand-up and boxing?

I've noticed that people in boxing are much more technically sound and are less likely to try and take you out with a single blow. A boxing contest is more a case of trying to take you apart by breaking you down. I believe that if you are going to be successful in either sport you have to be well-rounded and have good technical skill. Obviously in MMA it's more varied since you have to be able to fight on the ground as well as when standing. Having said that, I don't think many MMA fighters would stand a chance in a stand up fight with a top-level-boxer. They were talking about Roy Jones Jr. taking on Anderson Silva in a boxing match. I think that Roy Jones Jr. would pick him apart and eat him up!

Do you have any favorite fighters or boxing inspirations from past or present?

I have always followed and admired Roy Jones Jr., definitely one of my favorite fighters. I liked to watch Lennox Lewis, and pretty much anybody who has ever been at the top in the heavyweight division I have been a fan of, the Klitchkos included. I am also a Tyson Fury fan. After seeing him fight in person at Madison Square Garden, the way he carries himself and the showmanship, his quick-wit, I believe he is a good face for the heavyweight division. I am hoping that he goes all the way and becomes a world heavyweight champion.

Let's talk about your career in boxing to date. You have been matched vs a multitude of undefeated fighters up to this point, including Hughie Fury, who had an extensive amateur boxing background behind him. How difficult has it been fighting these types of opponents who typically have a lot of amateur boxing experience behind them before turning pro, especially the fights that you've had to take on very short notice?

It can be mentally humbling, especially in Hughie Fury's case where he came from a great amateur background and won a world championship. With those kinds of credentials, it definitely makes you think about it before getting in the ring with them. In situations where other fighters do have that kind of experience behind them, you just have to do your best to move around and do whatever you can to try and counteract these guys.

In your last fight you boxed Taishan Dong, who is listed as being 6'11" tall. How difficult is it to try and box a vastly taller opponent since, unlike in MMA, you are unable to go for a grapple or a takedown?

Well, for my preparation I couldn't find any training partners who were anywhere near that tall. My plan going into it was obviously to try to get to him on the inside, but it didn't work out so well. Honest to God, once we were face-to-face in the ring and he stepped over the top rope, the crowd went crazy and I just thought "Oh boy...". I didn't get a chance to see him at the weigh-in since I had to go and get an MRI scan, so the first time I really saw him was after he climbed over the top. My heart sunk to be honest with you, but I thought to myself "it's him or me" and I went out there to try and hit him with my best shots. I ended up only trying to execute what I felt comfortable with, as opposed to some of the things I had been doing in training leading up to the fight, which was pretty much my downfall. I did do much better than I did vs Hughie Fury, but his punching power was crazy and even his jabs were dazing me. The last right hand that he landed made me feel so dizzy. I took a knee and at that point I knew that even if I got up that I would have stumbled around and the referee would have stopped it anyway, so I just stayed down until my wits came back to me.

Whenever you have boxed, you've a shown a crowd-pleasing style where you look to come forward and take the fight to your opponent. Do your pride yourself on putting on a show and doing your part to make your fights that much more entertaining?

Absolutely. I know that in almost every pro boxing fight I have taken that I was the underdog against some of the best up-and-comers in the heavyweight division at short notice. Even if I'm not going to win, I like to put in the best performance I can in order to make the crowd happy. I love it when the crowd comes up to me afterwards to say that they enjoyed the fight. It makes me feel good and that's my job when I get in there to fight, to entertain the crowd. That's what the crowd likes, to see two fighters coming forward, hitting each other hard and to keep getting up if they get knocked down. There have been plenty of times I have been hit and dazed where I didn't want to get back up, but I knew full well that that was not what everyone else wants! They wouldn't want me to stay down, so I get up even if it's likely that I may find my way down again.

You've had 9 fights, yet you have already boxed on a Golden Boy Promotions card, as well as being involved in matches that have been televised on major TV networks. Are you content overall with your career in boxing so far?

I definitely don't like my record and I would have loved to have had the luxury of being able to gradually build up a record, just like some other fighters are able to do. I would like to do that, but I don't see it happening. I am not going to have a financial backer like these up-and-coming fighters have, so I have no choice but to just keep doing what I have been. I am someone who likes to challenge myself, so if I get a chance to get in there and fight a good boxer, I take it, even if it's at very short notice. I don't turn down any of these opportunities. If I am able to beat one of these big-name guys, then more power to me. If I lose, I don't really lose at all due to how much I am normally at a disadvantage under the circumstances. My two wins were the only fights where I had a decent amount of time to prepare. Of course, another thing in my favor was the fact that those guys weren't phenomenal amateurs, so they were on a level playing field with me in terms of boxing experience and skill level.

Who is Alex Rozman outside of combat sports. What are some of your interests outside of fighting?

I'm big on health and fitness. I love to lift weights and to work out every day. I collect bikes, I like to run. I work for a moving company, so I'm often all-round the U.S. In my off-time I like to do a lot of charity work, such as a walk or runs for organizations that help the less fortunate, such as people with conditions like Parkinson's disease or cystic fibrosis. I also donate to homeless shelters. After my last fight at Madison Square Garden, I bought 100 t-shirts and gave them to every homeless shelter in the area, as well as giving them a bunch of cookies. I like to make people feel good, so a lot of times when I have extra money, I take enjoyment in helping other people out. I like to give rather than receive, so that is a big part of my life.

A random fact about you that fans more than likely aren't aware of?

I have a 415lb bench press!

Final words?

I'd like to thank everyone for every opportunity that has been given to me. They have made me who I am today.