By Przemek Garczarczyk

“This is my moment and 2017 is my year. I want to challenge myself and show the world how good I am. If I do what I’m supposed to do, I can see myself fighting for a world championship in the next 18 months,” says unbeaten heavyweight Izuagbe “Black Pole” Ugonoh (17-0, 14 KOs).

Ugonoh was born in Szczecin, Poland, to Nigerian parents and recently signed with Haymon Sports. His trainer Kevin Barry is convinced that Ugonoh’s fight with Dominic Breazeale (17-1, 15 KOs) on the undercard of the February 25 Deontay Wilder-Gerald Washington championship bout (PBC on FOX) will be a perfect stage to introduce the “Black Pole” to America.

From Poland to New Zealand and now training in Las Vegas. Quite a boxing road for Izu…

Kevin Barry: It makes al the sense in the world to prepare in Las Vegas, where Team Barry headquarters is, where we’ll know the scene very well. In New Zealand, we became a team with Izu Ugonoh, three years ago, in 2014. Both Izu and Joseph Parker are not only training with me but living in my house… and I’m not inviting just anyone to live with my family. I quickly recognized Izu’s qualities – not only as a fighter but also as a person. It was well thought but in the end an easy decision.

How big is Izu’s development in being an important part of Parker training team?

KB: Not only the training team, it’s much more than that. What I’m saying from the beginning is the fact that they influenced each other. A big part of Joseph Parker, being who he is, a world champion, is working, training, sparring and living with Izu. It worked, obviously, very well for both of them. For Izu, having a chance to work with a world class fighter like Joseph meant that his development was very fast. He was in the shadow of Parker, but on February 25 in Alabama, he’ll be in the spotlight, fighting against a very strong, big, highly rated and skilled fighter – Dominic Breazeale.

When Ugonoh signed with Al Haymon in December of last year, it was clear that Izu’s signature will include a serious step up in competition. Fighting Breazeale, a young, hungry, fighter who already has an experience of a heavyweight championship fight, is just that… and more.

Izu wanted Breazeale. It was his choice. The chance of being part of the boxing elite in one fight is something you don’t refuse. But we’re all are very confident about his abilities – we see it every day in the gym, in training, sparring, work ethic, preparation. Izu is a total package, a combination of being charismatic outside the ropes and being very smart, calculated in the ring. A superior athlete who can do things others just cannot. Probably one of the best – if not the best – body puncher in today’s boxing. We all know about his devastating power. One of his knockouts gathered more than 3 million views on YouTube (vs. William Quarrie), but power is just part of his skills. What most of the people don’t know about him is how under control Izu is in the ring. Knockouts are explosive but also very prepared.

Dominic Breazeale admitted not knowing too much about his opponent. “I know his weight, his height and that working with Parker makes him an experienced fighter” – said Breazeale, who wants to give Ugonoh a very fast introduction to world boxing stage.

I hope he does just that – attack Izu from the first moment of the first round. When fighters do that, they’re prone to mistakes. My fighter will not miss this opportunity. Now it’s Izu’s time to take his path to the world title.