REGILIO TUUR

 

Regilio Tuur who was born on 12 August 1967 in Paramaribo in Surinam grew up in a family of ten children. In 1973 he comes to the Netherlands, where he grows up in Rotterdam-West. Regilio later moves to Hoogvliet. His boxing career got off the ground in 1987 when Regilio won the bronze medal at the European championships for amateurs. In 1988 he qualifies for the Olympic Games. Regilio is known on 18 September 1988 in one blow. The then totally unknown Regilio beats the then world champion Kelcie Banks in the first round of the Olympic tournament in Seoul in 1988.

 

In 1988 he emigrates to New York in America. Regilio forces a contract in the mecca of boxing legends, Madison Square Garden, where he makes his professional debut. In 1991, Regilio won his first professional title, the New York State championship. He won the European title in Ahoy in 1992. In 1994 Regilio conquers the world title in the JR Lightweight of the World Boxing Organization. He defends his title six times successfully and wins the Ring of Champions. In 2001, Regilio decides to stop his career as a professional boxer. As a professional boxer, he has a total of 51 impressive matches: 46 wins, of which 38 are knocked out, one is undecided and four are lost.

 

After stopping his boxing career, Regilio focuses entirely on his other passion, fashion. In 2002 the documentary 'Shadows Moves - The Homecoming of Regilio Tuur' was released. He writes in 2005 with the help of author Ed Van Eden his autobiography Regilio: Life Part One, where the rain is cold. In 2014 Regilio was one of the participants in the second season of the Dutch program "Stars Jumping on Saturday" in which he eventually became thirteenth. Perry from Moov.nl went into a conversation with the very friendly Regilio Tuur, who was briefly from New York of America, because of an interview for the internet site.

 

001.What is your favorite CD?

       For me that is the CD 'That's Life' by the singer Frank Sinatra.

002.What is your favorite song and when do you usually listen to it?

       In that case I go for the song "That's life" by Frank Sinatra. I like to put this on to motivate me.

003.Did you sometimes played music just before the boxing matches or now working in the fashion?

       During my boxing career, but even today, I like to use music as kind of meditation.

004.How important is music in your private life?

       Music is important in every brown person his or her life. I play myself no musical instrument.

005.Who is your favorite singer (man or woman) and/or group?

       My favorite singer is Michael Jackson.

006.With who would you like to sing a duet?

       I can not sing at all myself.

007.What is your favorite sport to watch? And do you also practice a sport yourself?

       As a boxer, I may have stopped, I'm still training. In addition, I like to look to boxing matches, and also to tennis. I also like to do that myself.

008.At what price you have won in your career, are you the most proud to date and/or where do you have the best memories?

       The most important thing was when I was at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 at the time I defeated world champion Kelcie Banks. Then I was only

        an amateur boxer. If professionally I go for the world title in the JR Lightweight of the World Boxing Organization in 1994. But I was allowed to

        participate in the JR Lightweight, because of the match that I won against Kelcie. So yes, the game against Kelcie is the most important to me.

        Winning prizes is important anyway. It is recognition of the hard work that you do.

009.Do you remember what you thought when you had to box against the former world champion Kelcie Banks in 1988?

       I knew that I could win, because I had worked hard for it. So I was full self-confidence in the contest. The competition itself was in August 1988 and in

       December 1988 I moved to New York in America to try my luck there. So there were only 4 months between. The game has changed my whole life.

       After the game I became friends with Kelcie. We speak to each other every now and then, but we never talk about the game then.

010.In 1997 you announced that you would quit as a professional boxer. In the end you did in 2001. What was the reason you wanted to stop

       boxing?

       I had achieved everything I wanted to achieve. For my announcement in 1997 to quit, I became a father in 1995 for the first time. My then wife was

       away from me and I missed my daughter so badly that it hurt. Fortunately that is today has changed so much that I have good contact with both. I

       also do not regret that I have not continued any longer. If boxing is no longer your first priority as it was with me then, you lose the focus in the ring.

       There are at that moment other things more important. In order to become a boxing trainer myself now, I do not see myself.

011.After you quit your boxing career, you focused entirely on your other passion, the fashion. What was earlier, the passion for fashion or

       boxing?

       The love for fashion was there first. I wanted to be a fashion designer later in my youth to become. When I was about twelve I went to clothing stores,

       signed models and made my own clothes. But my 8-year-older brother Orlando called me therefore a sissy. That stopped me then. My stepfather

       Harold Bendt was a professional boxer. He had magazines about boxing that I saw. So is mine love for boxing originated. In the past I have designed

       clothes and I have clothing stores, but today I develop clothing for both men and women. I only do that in America. But that is a conscious choice. It is

       in fact a bigger country and so the range is also larger.

012.Since 1988 you live and work in New York City in America. Do you still follow the Dutch showbizz a bit?

       No, I do not follow the Dutch showbizz anymore. The creators of the program "Stars Jumping on Saturday" have just approached me. The first time

       that they asked me to participate in the second season, I said no. For I joint he show I was not particularly fond of water, to say the least. However,

       then I have it there about with my 22-year-old daughter Aleaya. She had foun that very nice. I then told her that nothing could stop me from joining.

       Also not water. In the end I participated in the program because of my daughters, Aleaya and the 18 year old Estée. Then I gained the thirteenth

       place. After my participation in the program it makes me less afraid of water. So in that wayit helped me.

013.What can we expect from you in the future in showbizz?

        In 2018 it is exactly 30 years ago that I defeated at that time world champion Kelcie Banks the Olympics. So it is my 30th anniversary. To celebrate

        that I come this year with a sequel to my book, Regilio - Life Part One, Where the rain cold is from 2005. It must be called Regilio - Life Part Two,

        The Best is Yet to Come. I also want to organize a boxing event in both America and the Netherlands. And there must be a documentary about my

        career.

 

Look for the game between Regilio Tuur and former world champion Kelcie Banks on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz83K6HJDOE.

 

Interview: Perry Krootjes