He is almost 2 meters tall, the scale reads 125 kilos and he has fists of steel. In the ring, Stan Bertens (23) is a real bear. Outside the ring, the Liempde resident is a gentle giant. “The great thing about the sport is that the switch turns in the ring,” said the newly crowned Dutch champion in the super-heavyweight category.
The Dutch title in the category above 91 kilos is confirmation for Stan that he is on the right track. “It is nice to be able to call you the best boxer in your country. I am very ambitious and of course I have to show it in the Netherlands.”
When he was 12, he went boxing with his father in Maaskantje. Five years later, Stan decided to get serious about the sport. “A year later I fought my first match. Now I have quit my job as an accountant and am working on boxing full time. Every day I train two or three times a day. Training, sleeping, eating, that’s pretty much what my days look like.”
“It didn’t come to me.”
Stan certainly does not call himself the greatest talent. “It didn’t come to me. I rely on my work ethic. I always want to go one step further than the other.
“The Olympic Games are great, I like to be there.”
Stan can try to fight his way to the Olympic Games in Paris later this year in a qualifying tournament. There are four tickets for a total of 32 boxers. “The Olympic Games are great, I enjoy being there. However, it is not my main goal, because that is to become a professional boxer. That is difficult in the Netherlands, but I have good contacts in England. I firmly believe that I will make a living from boxing. If I get the chance, it is up to me to build a name for myself in the professional circuit.”
“I want to break down my opponent.”
Professional boxing suits him better than boxing at the Olympic Games. “During the Games there are three rounds of three minutes at a high pace. I prefer ten rounds, then you have time to implement a plan. In the ring I want to break my opponent down, both physically and mentally. I’m a diesel, the more rounds there are the better I get. But I prefer to decide a match earlier than the tenth round.”
“You also have to be strong outside the ring.”
From accountant to professional boxer, there is hardly a bigger difference. “I feel at home in the ring. I am not concerned with any risks. I come across very strong guys, but I’m busy with my own game. I am in great shape physically and mentally. I will never give up in the ring, but you also have to be strong outside of it. For example, if an invitation comes to a party, you have to dare to say no. I give everything for boxing, inside and outside the ring.”
