For Stan Bertens (21) from Liempde, the upcoming Box Cup in Eindhoven will be the first major event in his still young boxing career. De Liempdenaar knows that the interests are enormous at the largest international tournament in Western Europe: “At the Box Cup I have the chance to be in the ring three times in three days. That is very precious in the boxing world.”
Stan’s mission is clear: “I just want to win everything. Also the Box Cup, it’s that simple, says the ambitious boxer. “You can play so many games, but if you get knocked out every time, it will never work out.”
Making progress and developing yourself against international opponents, according to his trainer Paul Holzken, those things are the most important at the moment. “Stan will now get that chance at the Box Cup. Of course we also want to win it, but for me personally the flying hours are now paramount”, says the teacher from Sint-Oedenrode.
Stan also knows that his trainer is right: “It is important to take as many matches as possible for another two or three years. Then towards professional boxing is the big goal.”
“If he continues to work that hard for it, I think the top is achievable.”
At the age of twelve, Stan took his first steps in that boxing world. He went to train in Maaskantje and played every now and then a match. At the age of 17 he left for the boxing school of Paul Holzken. Stan has developed excellently there in recent years: “If he continues to work so hard for it, I think the top is achievable,” says trainer Paul.
“When all your friends are on the beach with a beer, it’s not always fun.”
The road to becoming a professional boxer is difficult, Stan knows. He also has to work hard for it, both on a sporting and social level: “The moment all your friends are on the beach with a beer, while I myself break down in the gym, that’s not always fun.”
More than 200 participants and 26 nationalities participate in the Eindhoven Box Cup. Both men and women in all weight classes will enter the ring at Hotel van der Valk in Eindhoven from 3 to 6 July.
Stan is not the only person from Brabant who will be in action at the Eindhoven Box Cup. Sayaf Salah Ali and Rick de Nooijer from Roosendaal are also participating. The same goes for Mahmoud Al Chabtoun from Den Bosch.