Undefeated welterweight Shaun Fraser vows he will finish Khusein Bataev within the distance when the pair lock horns at Cage Warriors Academy South East 29 on October 8th.
Fraser will put his strap on the line after attaining it at CWSE 28 with a unanimous decision victory over Matthew Oki, which moved him to (4-0) in his career.
The clash features two undefeated fighters with a knack for stopping their opposition. Ahead of the meeting, we caught up with one-half of the fight in Shaun Fraser. Check out his thoughts on the matchup below.
Interview With Shaun Fraser
Another title fight for you at Cage Warriors Academy South East on October 8th. Talk me through preparation ahead of your title defence. Have you done anything differently?
Each fight presents a new challenge, new body, and new style, and you must adapt accordingly. A lot of changes have been made since the last fight, yes for this opponent, but also because, as a fighter, I must constantly evolve and improve as much as possible.
What did it mean to you to win the belt last time out against Matthew Oki? Is belt collecting at amateur level something that you’re focussed on and take delight in?
It felt good to have a belt wrapped around my waist, and that fight presented a unique challenge being that Oki is such a powerful and fast fighter, however personally, the only reason I’d like to collect belts is because of the opportunities they bring, like harder fights and eventually better contracts in the future. It’s great to have something for me to show off. Personally, I don’t care much for belts and medals anymore; however, they are important in a career.
You stand at (4-0) in your amateur career thus far. How would you evaluate your time as an amateur?
It has been a success for sure. When I started at 15, I never wanted to fight amateur. I’ve always just wanted to fight the best people, win, lose or draw. However, I’m happy I have, as it has given me a chance to learn and test myself with less on the line.
Shaun Fraser on Remaining Undefeated
Does being undefeated and having that zero under your loss column put pressure on you? Is that even on your mind leading into fights?
Never the number on a record doesn’t matter to me. Even if I lost my next ten fights, I’d still be confident enough to build myself back up to becoming a world champion as a professional. With that being said, I would love to have that Gilbert Vs Khamzat type of war where I am pushed to my limits, and it could go either way. For me, it’s about being confident enough to say I will never lose but realistic enough to know it’s a possibility and being happy with both.
Because you are constantly winning and in a dominant fashion, is it hard to identify flaws in your own game of things you need to take back to the gym to work on or do your coaches pick that up for you?
In all honesty, I am disappointed minutes after every fight so far. There is always something that needs major work, and then when I watch the fights back, even more gets picked up. When I look back at it, none of my performances has been good enough for my own standards, and I must strive to do better.
Your opponent on the night is Khusein Bataev. What do you know about your opponent, and how do you feel you match up against him?
I know he is well-rounded, isn’t scared to be in the fire and is patient on the ground. They say styles make fights, but I plan to have a style that can adapt. I’ll have a plan but will be ready to improvise.
Keys to Victory
What do you feel the keys are to defeating Bataev?
As always, staying calm, staying patient and being ready to move at any given moment, the biggest key in this fight, as with most others, will be playing with the mind.
A title on the line, two undefeated fighters, two fighters who can finish fights. Is it safe to say this fight will not need the judges? What can those tuning in expect from Shaun Fraser vs. Khusein Bataev?
They can expect a fun fight, we are both very well-rounded, and it will come down to who can impose their will better.
Lastly, can you give us an official fight prediction?
Another dominating W, if he rushes, it will be done in 1, if he’s patient, it will be over in two, and if he runs, I’ll find him in 3.
Featured image credits to Shaun Fraser
