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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
40-year-old Ukrainian boxer Taras Shelestyuk has no intention of leaving the boxing ring and is moving toward his goal—a championship belt. Recently, in a ranked fight he confidently defeated 28-year-old Ecuadorian Andres Muñoz and became the WBO International super welterweight titleholder. This gives him the opportunity to contend for a full WBO world title fight.
Taras Shelestyuk spoke about his goal, his love of boxing, and the secret of his great shape in an interview with Korotko pro.
Age is just a number
- Taras, congratulations! What do you feel after the victory over Muñoz?
- Thank you! I’m glad to add another title to my collection. This is an important win for me.
- Who do you owe this victory to the most?
- This victory is for me, my family, my friends, my entire team, and, of course, for all Ukrainians. I’m very grateful to everyone who supported me on this path.
- What does winning the WBO International super welterweight title mean to you?
- It’s an important step toward my main goal, namely a fight for the world championship. Now I have the chance to move forward and face the best fighters in my weight class.
- How was the fight with Andres Muñoz for you? Was it hard to go through all 10 rounds?
- I’m satisfied with my performance and I feel great. If needed, I could have gone another 10 rounds.
- At your 40 years you beat a 28-year-old opponent. What’s the secret of your effectiveness in the ring?
- Age is just a number. I lead an active lifestyle, train a lot, and pay a lot of attention to recovery, sleep, and proper nutrition. I think that’s what allows me to stay at this level.
- When I watched the fight, I got the impression you seemed to know in advance how your opponent would act.
- My coach and I broke down his style in great detail and prepared for different possible developments of the fight. But one of my strengths is that I can change tactics and style directly during the bout if the situation in the ring calls for it.
- Where did you prepare for this bout?
- I trained in Los Angeles at the Brickhouse gym, where I’ve been training for over six years. It’s basically my second home.
- How much time will you need to recover and return to the ring?
- I’m already returning to training. There are things I can improve, so I’ll be working on them. For me every fight is an opportunity to become even better.
I’m waiting for congratulations from Zelensky
- What is your next goal?
- A fight for the world title. And, of course, I want to face Devin Haney (the legendary American super lightweight champion. - Ed.).
- Who was the first to congratulate you on the victory?
- My wife Alina. She’s always with me at my fights. I’m very grateful to her for her constant support.
- Did anyone from the legendary Ukrainian national team, of which you were also a part, congratulate you?
- Yes, I was congratulated by Oleksandr Usyk, Yevhen Khytrov, and Denys Berinchyk. It’s very pleasant because we went through a long journey together. Now I’m still waiting for congratulations from President Zelensky.
- What motivates you to still step into the ring and stay in such incredible shape?
- I like boxing, I like hard training and new challenges. I enjoy the process. So as long as I have motivation and enjoy it, I’ll continue. And my nearest goal is to become world champion.
- Which opponent would you like to see across from you in your next fight?
- Devin Haney, I’m coming for you!
PATHS TO VICTORY
From Makiivka to Los Angeles
Taras Shelestyuk was born on 30 November 1985 in Makiivka, Donetsk region. Before boxing he played football for five years (including for Shakhtar-3), practiced gymnastics, acrobatics, aikido, and even had a chess rank. He first came to the boxing gym at 14 years old.
As an amateur he became part of the legendary Ukrainian national team alongside Oleksandr Usyk, Vasyl Lomachenko, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Denys Berinchyk, and Yevhen Khytrov. In 2011 he won gold at the World Championships in Baku in the super welterweight division, and at the London 2012 Olympics he won bronze.
In 2013 he moved to Los Angeles, debuted as a professional, and for a while trained with the legendary Freddy Roach. His record now stands at 22-0-1 (12 knockouts). He previously held the WBA Inter-Continental and WBO NABO titles.
After the March 2022 fight (a draw with Gabriel Maestre) Taras fully immersed himself in volunteer work: he helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine and conducts charity auctions. Although his native language was Russian, after the full-scale invasion he completely switched to Ukrainian. Now the boxer is back in the ring and says it’s only the beginning.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Alina (a professional fitness model). He trains not only boxers but also Olympic fencers, tennis players, dancers, and Hollywood actors. He also became co-owner of the local football club Orange County, whose colors are reminiscent of his native Shakhtar.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Тарас Шелестюк: кидаю виклик Девіну Хейні та чекаю на привітання від Володимира Зеленського". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: KP.UA.
