This Saturday in Brampton, Zsolt Daranyi of Red Owl Boxing takes on Mexico’s Alejandro Barrera for the WBO Global Welterweight Title. A victory for the 19-1 Daranyi comes with huge implications: a chance to jump up into the top 15 in his weight class, which comes with the possibility of fighting in Vegas in the future.
The Hungarian-Canadian has Red Owl Boxing—which is associated with the CEBL’s Scarborough Shooting Stars, and The Playground Global—in his corner, and also arguably the greatest Canadian boxer of all-time in Lennox Lewis. The retired heavyweight champ has taught Daranyi to not always go for the knockout, although the strategy has worked well so far, with all but one of his wins coming via KO.
Complex Canada sat down with Daranyi before this Saturday’s Boxfest IV in Brampton and on DAZN to discuss his ambitions, Lennox’s life advice, what’s in his headphones when he trains, and the state of Canadian boxing.
How did you get into boxing?
I’ve been through a lot of my own career. I started when I was nine years old, I started competing when I was 10 years old and I did very well. I was very good at such a young age. I became a four-time Canadian national champion and a two-time Hungarian national champion. They actually wanted me to go to the Olympics but I ended up just turning pro when I was 19 years old. But they wanted me to live in Hungary, they wanted to pay for my rent and pay for everything for me to live there and go to the Olympics with them. I decided to turn pro. I got a good deal with Top Rank and Cameron Duncan at the time. So I thought it was a perfect time for me to turn pro and now my record is 19 wins, one loss, 18 knockouts. And, I am the Canadian welterweight champion and I’ve also won the NABA, the North American title.
Are you always looking for the knockout when you fight?
Once you’re so used to it, it’s amazing. You’re just waiting for the knockout to happen. Once you have some 19 wins, 18 of them knockouts. Oh, and in my career, I had a point where I was looking for the knockout. And I have to really transition. That’s when Lennox Lewis came in and he really taught me the ropes and my career really changed after. I’m not looking for the knock out anymore. If the knockout comes, it comes, and obviously it feels amazing because everyone in the crowd goes crazy and everyone loves a knockout. I love to put on the show for the fans and to see a knockout is the best show you can put on.
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