Issue 034
February 2008
By Jim Page Images: Hywel Teague
Fighting out of the infamous Rough House fight team, FX3 lightweight champion Andre Winner is a rising star on the European scene, and has amassed a record of 9-1 in his short tenure as a pro.
In his most recent contest, Winner dispensed with his usual considered, tactical approach, and tore into experienced and respected German opponent Mario Stapel. Comfortable in the clinch, Winner whips in brutal bodyshots and vicious elbows which slice open his opponents, often turning the fight into a bloodbath. “Dirty boxing I really enjoy, I can throw good solid shots from a short distance, working on the inside with short uppercuts and hooks,” the 26-year old said.
Explaining his recipe for success at close range, he added a tip for landing the perfect elbow; the devastating results of which were etched all over Stapel’s face at the end of the contest. “Make a little space, either use the other arm, or use a bump, use head positioning,” he advises. “Make a little space and just throw an elbow, short and sharp.”
Winner has natural ability in abundance, but he is the first to explain why translating this precious commodity into raw aggression has not been the easiest process. “Most of the things that I’m doing now, I could have done before, it’s just gaining that experience in the cage, letting myself go a bit more. Sometimes I hold back, not because I don’t want to hurt the other guy, it’s because I’m trying to always look for the perfect shot.”
Winner’s most recent performance showed off his alarming hand speed, where he put putting together the kind of lightning-fast combinations that are rarely seen outside of the boxing ring. “I could always punch fast, you’re gonna get to see more of that from me now,” he promised. “I’ve been working a lot with weight vests; I’ve been doing my pad work.”
Surrounded by the kind of training partners that would make any aspiring MMA fighter green with envy, Winner explained the effect of training with the likes of EliteXC fighter and Cage Rage champion Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley, Cage Warriors champion Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy and the hot prospect and rumoured IFL UK team member Jimmy Wallhead. “It’s a great confidence booster, it’s amazing. It does improve you as a fighter – you’re sparring with better people and that’s going to bring you up to speed. I have confidence in myself, but having these sorts of people around you gives you even more.”
Keeping his feet on the ground, Andre was back in training the Monday after his most recent fight, selflessly on hand to assist his Roughhouse team mates with their own fight preparation and keep himself ticking over. “I’ll still keep pretty fit, so by the time I get my first fight early next year I won’t need much tuning, I’m just ready to go. I’m always ready to go. I want to get straight back in there and continue pushing it.”
Full of vitality and with a ravenous appetite for competition, Andre seems unmoved by the daunting tasks that lie ahead of him on his ambitious career path, ‘My main goal is to be the world champ with whatever title is the best at the time, whichever organisation is the biggest and where the best fighters are. That’s who I’ve got to beat, that’s where I’d like to be.’
“I want to beat whoever is out there to beat in Europe. I want to beat everyone in the UK who’s seen as a threat and I want to do the same with Europe. I just want to be, undeniably, ‘The Man’ in the UK and Europe, and I can move on to the world stage and work my way to the top there.’
