Meeting between Coach Michael Kozlowski and his former fighter and current WBA Champion, Yuri Foreman.

Posted on 24. Dec, 2009 by BoxingCoachMike in News

Gleason’s Gym closed at 4pm on Christmas Eve, so I came early to train my heavy weight prospect (born in Poland) Kasper Czajkowski for the upcoming New York Golden Gloves. As I entered the gym, Yuri Foreman was sitting with his wife in one of the four boxing rings at Gleason’s. I put my coat in my locker and then approached Foreman for the first time in many years.

Eventhough Foreman was surprised that I would speak to him after the incident where he reported me to the FBI, he happily accepted my congratulations for his recent victory over Daniel Santos for the WBA title. I then confronted him about his quote in the New York Times regarding my decision to leave my family. I asked him why he failed to mention that he had been arrested in Israel at this time and that it was me who kept him from going to prison by giving him refuge in the United States. Foreman basically said that it was all such a long time ago it didn’t matter anymore. I reminded him how quickly he forgot that I saved him from 2 to 3 years in prison. “I didn’t betrayed you, but you betrayed me the moment you smelled money. Then you told the FBI that I sent someone to threaten you at gunpoint.” Foreman got nervous and explained that he only called the FBI because a guy held a gun to his stomach and gave him a bullet in an envelope. So, I asked him where the bullet is. He said the guy took it with him. It was such a ridiculous story I nearly asked if they sat and had tea before this alleged Russian Mafia guy left with the mysterious bullet.

When Foreman’s wife saw that he was nervously explaining himself to me, she demanded that he stop. Because she is Hungarian, she doesn’t understand Russian, but she could tell that I was making Foreman squirm and she didn’t like it. I was amazed that he takes orders from this woman who I originally introduced him to when he was twenty years old with acne. I stormed away and went back to training my next prospect….