SAM SAYS

In a year that has already provided its fair share of upsets, Sinan Samil Sam's victory over Danny Williams for the European title was evidence once again that nothing is a formality in this sport. The quiet Turk, an intensely shy and private man who will turn 28 while this issue is on the shelves, has since defended his title for a second time against Julius Francis (see sidebar), but it was the victory over Williams in Berlin on 8 February that has really established him on the European scene. 

Going into the fight, Williams was regarded as Britain's finest heavyweight prospect since Lennox Lewis. Despite an unbeaten record, at that time, of 16Ð0, the only fighter with any kind of pedigree that Sam had faced was Przemyslaw Saleta, the Pole from whom he captured the European belt in December 2002. Up to that point, Sam's record had been padded with the usual assortment of nonentities. 

Some would say that Williams underestimated Sam, that he felt he needed only to turn up in order to collect the European title to add to the British and Commonwealth belts he still holds. When it came to the crunch, Williams found himself struggling with the pace set by the champion, who likes to fight at close quarters with his head low and hands held high. In the fourth round, Williams was floored twice, before eventually being rescued by his corner in the sixth. 

Even in Germany, where Sam now resides and fights under the banner of Hamburg's Universum Box Promotion, few had given him any hope of overturning Williams. "I had no particular strategy except to stay calm and frustrate him by showing him he couldn't beat me with his ability," says Sam, through an interpreter. "He's technically skilled, but he underestimated me. Boxing is about fighting, that's what he forgot. I do not give a damn how somebody is rated or praised before they enter the ring with me. It is always hard to predict how two boxers will match up inside the ropes.

"Sam was born in Frankfurt of Turkish parentage, but relocated to Turkey at an early age. He was brought up in Ankara and took up boxing after being introduced to the sport by a teacher. As well as being a native speaker of Turkish, he is also adept in Russian. "It was not hard to settle back in Turkey," he says. "People are friendly, and I have a big family there. 

I learned some Russian at school, and the family often went to places close to Georgia. We had contests with Russian boxers so my Russian is good for conversation." More than 200 amateur contests followed, including nine Turkish championships, a loss against Wlad Klitschko, and a win over IBF and WBA super middleweight boss Sven Ottke, on the way to an eventual super heavyweight gold medal in Houston in 1999. It was in September of the same year that Universum signed him on professional terms and brought him to Hamburg. "Amateur boxing is a different job. I became Turkish champion, had been junior world champion already, and finally world champion before I became a pro. I signed the contract the night Wladimir Klitschko beat Axel Schulz in 1999." Wherever Sam fights, the red-and-white flag of his native Turkey fills the arena. 

The importance of his Turkish passport in Germany should not be underestimated. Germany had been a major importer of Turkish labour from the 1950s onwards to strengthen the workforces needed to sustain the country's huge coal and steel mining industries. Today the Turkish population in Germany makes up the largest ethnic minority in the country. The support for any kind of sportsman of Turkish ancestry in Germany is usually huge. 

Indeed, had the Turkish football team beaten Brazil in the semi-final of the World Cup last summer, there were fears that a final between Germany and Turkey would lead to racial conflict on a major level. Under the tutelage of trainer Michael Timm, the 6ft 3ins Sam has progressed to 18Ð0 with 11 of those wins inside the distance. But training is difficult for Sam. Chronic foot problems mean that he needs to keep roadwork to a minimum while in the gym. 

"My feet hurt easily after too many miles of running," he says. "My trainer has worked out a fitness program for me so that I'll be fit to go 12 or 15 rounds like any other top heavyweight without running that much. I ride a bike, I train with medicine balls and I swim." Perhaps a solution to this lies in the excess weight he seems to be carrying. He weighed in at 236lbs (16st 12lbs) for his fight against Julius Francis and his waist does tend to wobble while he's in the ring. 

A slimline version may exert less pressure on his joints. The intention now is to move Sam in the direction of better opponents and bigger purses. His idol is Mike Tyson, with whom he shares an enthusiasm for breeding pigeons, though recent events in Tyson's private life have put Sam off an eventual meeting, unless it is inside the ring. "The pigeons calm me down. It's fun to watch them fly away and come back. 

They are faithful and so am I," says the European champion. "Mike Tyson's the biggest name. Does he really have to box because of financial irregularities in his private life? The public knowledge about his private life does not make me want to meet him, unless it's inside the ropes." There are other fish to fry, though. After Wladimir Klitschko's dreadful performance against Corrie Sanders, there is now a void waiting to be filled by a German-based heavyweight, at least as far as Universum are concerned. 

This, in itself, begs the question of whether the two would meet at sometime in the future as Klitschko makes his way back to being taken seriously. Both are ranked highly by the WBO and who is to say that an elimination bout will not be mandated? This is unlikely, though. Sam is currently ranked sixth by the WBO, and 10th by the WBC. At this point in time, though, he doesn't have the tools or the experience to deal with somebody like Klitschko. 

"There's still a good chance to avoid the Klitschkos and for them to avoid me," says Sam. Despite not being ranked by the IBF, the main aim of Sam is to secure a fight with the man who holds their belt. "I'd fight Chris Byrd if he wants to. Boxing toe to toe is not an American speciality. With four major sanctioning bodies, there's plenty of room for the 20 best heavyweights in the world. And the scene is changing quickly.

"For Sam, though, that 20 doesn't seem to include Roy Jones Jr, the WBA titleholder who has recently stated his intention to remain at heavyweight. "Roy Jones shouldn't stay at heavyweight, he might be injured severely. He's smooth moving inside the ropes, but a little bit of a big mouth." "I'd like to face the biggest names. 

Tyson is a big name, Evander Holyfield is still good I guess, and David Tua would be nice to meet in the ring. And Chris Byrd, of course." Realistically, Sam has a long road in front of him before he or his handlers seriously contemplate throwing him in with the top-class heavyweights. Other than Danny Williams, he has never been in with a heavyweight of any real quality and it will be interesting to see what happens when somebody goes toe to toe with him and gives as good as they get. 

The question of stamina also needs to be addressed. So far, he has never been further than the eighth round. We shouldn't forget that Wladimir Klitschko was found wanting in the later stages against Ross Puritty at a similar point in his career. Having said this, for now he looks more than comfortable at European level and he is still young enough to improve. If he does, Danny Williams may not be the last big name to suffer.For report of Sinan Samil Sam's European heavyweight title defence against Julius Francis, see June issue