Provodnikov: I will die in the ring if necessary! +photos

Team Provodnikov held their open workout at the Grudge Training Center in Denver Wednesday. It was a small crowd and intimate setting with everyone getting pictures and time to speak with Ruslan Provodnikov, who is supremely confident and looks to be on weight and in fantastic shape.

First he warmed up with strength and conditioning coach Gavin Macmillan. Stretching ‘on the ball’ to get the blood flowing followed by shadow boxing.

Provodnikov is very charismatic and he played it up to the cameras, playfully sticking out his tongue and punching right into the lens. Next up was the focus mitts with Marvin Somodia, who wore the ‘body armor’ pad for good reason: Provodnikov’s hooks to the body are hellacious.

He generates so much power with both hands it’s quite incredible. Hearing the loud smack on the mitts and the heavy thud on the body pad you can actually feel his power from ringside.

He finished up with the jump rope, speed bag and double end bag before taking questions. His co-managers Vadim Kornilov and Andrei Napolkikh were there for the translating.

“To win this fight I must give it everything I have inside of me,” said Provodnikov. “I must leave it all in the ring. 

I will die in the ring if necessary but I’m not losing in this my second chance at becoming a world champion. Freddie Roach told me ‘you are better than him, you will beat him and become a world champion on October 19th,’ and that’s what I plan to do.”