Fightmag.net interview with Australian muaythai super lightweight champion Taylor Harvey of Queensland who took part in the WKN Big-8 muaythai World GP in Belarus last month. The show will be broadcast by Eurosport NEXT WEEK on Thursday December 22.

Fightmag.net: How is it going after the fights at the Big-8?
Taylor Harvey: I am actually doing great considering the injury’s that I sustained in Big-8. My body is healing a lot faster than what the doctor an physio advised me so I am getting ready for a big year in 2012 an hopefully starting the year injury free.

Fightmag.net: That was your second time participation in this tournament. Was there any particular difference between this and previous year?
Taylor Harvey: I think the Main difference in Big-8 2011 was the way we were catered for an taking care of we were really really looked after. Evgeny really made me an Tyson feel like WKN cared for our well being an also offered a few tours to show us a little bit about Belarus. They even took us to the circus wich was pretty cool. But I think the fight card was similar to card in 2010 you get 4 fighters that you think might be stronger an more experienced an 4 that maybe are not as hardened an experienced. But in saying that you can never underestimate any fighter and in 8 man tournament any thing can happen.

Fightmag.net: Tell us about your first fight versus turkish Erkan Varol?
Taylor Harvey: For me drawing the first fight with Erkan Varol was perfect it was the fight we were hoping for. If it was my choice to pick anyone in the tournament it was him because of his height (Smiling) we are the same height he is very dangerous with his strong hands and spinning kicks but as I noticed this in 2010 that he has more a kick boxing style and also was not as advanced in the clinch . He came out a little harder than me I, think in the first round, with big punches and body shots. I think he hit me with a big right hand that shook me up a bit and I could hear the crowed. I think shortly after that I was cut from a big elbow (as I thought this would be the least of my worries fighting a kick boxer) but after that I pushed forward with elbows knees and hand combinations. I was worried I lost this round but Tyson said that it was close, round 1 have gone either way (maybe a draw).

Coming into round 2 I knew his weakness and knew I had to be more agressive an busy so I took up the clinch and used dumping him on the canvis as a way to look more dominate towards the judges. I kept going foward Vitaly was telling me he wasn’t catching the body kicks I was throwing at him, so I used this to set myself to make him fight the way I wanted him to and try and save damaging my shins for the next fight.

I just did the same thing in round 3 and by a minute or so in the round I knew that I was ahead and all I had to do was keep clinching, keep kicking and not get knocked out. I think that Erkan Varol is definately World class and had improved a lot since 2010.

Fightmag.net: What has happened in the second with Ruslan Kushnirenko from Ukraine?
Taylor Harvey: In the second fight I was pretty injured. I hurt my elbow on Erkan’s head  (turned out it was extreame nerve damage) so my whole left arm was pretty useless. I didn’t even have it strapped because it hurt to much when it was strapped up, but Tyson and Vitaly had a plan for me so they got my head back into it and I got my s**t together.

Once I got into the ring I seemed to be calm and composed. The Ukrainian was looking like he didn’t take much damage in his first fight, even though he drew Samkor and had a hard fight too. He was switched on and obviously he trained hard and did all the right things in the gym for his preparation. I tried to stick to the plan and jab with my handicap arm (Smiling) and chop at his inside leg as he is a south paw. But we ended up in the clinch he was strong taller than me. I caught a knee in the liver went down and that was it.

Kushnirenko went on to the finals with Andrei Kulebin but Andrei is on a different level to most fighters I have seen or fought. He is an 8 man machine and has competed in heaps of them.

Fightmag.net: Obviously your bout against the thai two weeks before Big-8 influenced on the result?
Taylor Harvey: Yeah I think fighting wit the current Lumpinee champion that close to a massive show like Big 8 was a very stupid idea. But it could have been a lot worst. I keep in mind that it was also a shot at the welter weight World tittle so that’s a hard fight to say no too. But in that fight I did suffer a slightly ruptured liver and was told that it was not a good idea for me to fight with 1 month especially a possible 3 times in the same night. (…there’s plenty of time to heal when your dead)

Fightmag.net: Tell us about Belarus crowd at the show & people in general?
Taylor Harvey: Man these people are awesome they love Big-8. They showed me a lot of support and respect. They stood and clapped for me until I was in the change room. Everyone was really friendly so it was great. I didn’t mind all the photos and signings, these people seem to like me as a fighter and like the way I fight. So I am happy with every part of the trip and glad to be the one who goes to Big-8 to honour my trainers, my gym and my country flag.

Fightmag.net: Is there a major difference between muay thai promotions in Australia and Belarus?
Taylor Harvey: I can’t say if there is a major difference as I have only fought in Belarus at Bbig-8. But I can say that it’s bigger and better than any show I have fought on and there is a very high standard and there is some very strong and talented fighters in Belaraus muay thai.

Fightmag.net: What is your personal opinion about Big-8?
Taylor Harvey: Big-8 is the best show I have ever seen. The production, the management and organisation Minsk Arena is crazy! This place is huge and when it’s fight night it looks amazing. Think many Aussies would be blown away by Big-8.

Fightmag.net: What is the most memorized from the Big-8 2011 in Belarus?
Taylor Harvey: There’s a lot of good and funny memories from this and the last trip, but I would have to say the people that we met from all over the world that were just like us and doing the same thing we were doing (MUAY tHAI ). Big shout out to Vitaly Gurkov he is an awesome dude, he’s cool as and was a huge help to me, threw out the whole competition (Thanks brother… Smiling).

Fightmag.net: Any coming fights booked yet?
Taylor Harvey: I have nothing locked in as yet, but I’m sure there’s a lot of promoters doing shows in Australia in 2012 and they know that if they bring me the best I will fight them. And don’t be shy if there’s any boys in OZ that want a shot (HOLLA AT ME) But make sure you train hard .

I’m interested in any fight any where. But it’s not something I’m going to chase in the near future, unless we will fight in Australia. I’v been travelling fighting a lot in the past 2 or 3 years so I plan to stay in Australia as much as possible in 2012 and remind everyone why I am the one who represents Australia in Big-8… And why I have been were I have today. There will be a lot of surprises in 2012 a specially for anybody fighting one of the boys from the gym.

Fightmag.net: What is your plan for 2012?
Taylor Harvey: My plan for 2012 is train hard fight as much as I can and fight whoever will fight me. But like I said I would like to stay in Australia and see were I’m really at in Australian Muay Thai. It’s something that I have to do my self as a test and also for Mad x Gym as a statement to show every body that our gym is the strongest. There’s a lot of great fighters in our gym that Paul and Tyson have developed over the years. And together have put a lot of hard work and time into. So 2012 is going to be a big year for me and the boys at the gym.

Fightmag.net: Thanks, Taylor, well done mate! We will keep working on more fights and wins to come.
Taylor Harvey: I’d also like to thank you to a few people for supporting me. First my sponsor Nick from Ppunish Fight Gear, he’s a great sponsor and stands by what he says, so with out him and he’s support and all my gear, I wouldn’t be able to train like I can. So thanks heaps your a legend.

Tyson – You for being a big brother always being there for me in and out of the gym busting your ass to me fit and ready for Big-8, even though you got 3 beautiful kids, a wife and a life of your own. You still manage to train me twice a day.

Also Wifey and my son, it sucks leaving you to go somewhere crazy and fight.

My Mum and Aunty Gail my P.N.G Family and Trimz.

And the last person – Paul Madigan – The man who took me in as his own son. I have put you threw a lot of stuff and, I mean, a lot of stuff. But through everything you stood by my side and continued to be my dad, and have taught me many lessons in life (even how to shave Smiling) and made me a man. So thank you for your love and generosity. With out you in my life I would most probably be in a pretty bad place.

Peace out!

by Parviz Iskenderov | Fightmag.net

Watch BIG-8 WKN World GP on Eurosport December 22

Fight Club: BIG-8 WKN Tournament 2011
Date: Thursday, December 22, 2011
Time: 8PM French Time
Broadcast: Eurosport International over 59 countries World wide