Tomi Silvennoinen: Boxing, Finland, History & More…

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Exclusive Interview by Joshua “City” Brewer

Basking in the ambiance of the Finnish air, one can tell that something is different. Far from the bolster of the larger cities in the United States of America, there is a bit of calm and refreshness as we stroll through the second most northern capital city in the world (thanks, Barby + Geography Now), Helsinki, Finland. Sports and competition have long been a major staple in Europe. The passion encompasses the entire area like no other and is visible in all facets of life. In Nordic countries such as Finland, hockey has traditionally been the sport of choice and popularity. As a rose blooms from the cracks of concrete (RIP Pac), boxing has long been a sport that groomed men and women from belligerence to astute disciplinarians.

We as a race of humans are separated by large bodies of water and multiple forms of communication but many commonalities remain the same. We deal with the battles of the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ — some fights in life tougher, some never fought. Regardless, all remains the same, where there’s a will there’s a way. It just so happens to be a fact that the way in the sport I’ve come to love requires an exchange of leather. Not for the faint or squeamish at heart, it takes a certain type of individual to choose a path of brutality that has often left many lesser than whole in many ways.

Born in Porvoo, Finland, with 22 year old Tomi Silvennoinen, 7-1, 4 KO’s, we get a mix of everything that has produced boxing greats in every era in the history of the sport. By day, his trade is construction, which offers a glimpse into his approach to all things in life, hard work. Like many greats, his childhood was one that saw him go through rough patches, certainly more, than less. “When I was I child I was very angry. I would get into street fights a lot.” This is all too familiar when you really dig deeper into the lives of boxers.

These fights took place in the streets of Finland. Ironically, this was in and around the same streets we were cruising at that very moment, Helsinki, while listening to one of Tomi’s favorite hip-hop artists, Dave East. No worries, Tomi knows these streets like the back of his hand. “One day my dad took me to the gym and just left me there,” said Tomi as he grinned. “I thought I was a tough guy. They put me in with one of the guys who wasn’t even one of the best in the gym.” Those who’ve long followed the sport know what happened next. I’ll let you ponder for a second…and with that came respect and realization. There’s no reality check more humbling than a hook to the mouth, but I digress (say no to violence outside of the ring). Tomi withstood and eventually grew to love the sport of boxing and how his counterparts always left the ‘fighting’ in the gym. The transformation commenced. Discipline is a critical staple of the sport of boxing because a lack thereof can ensure that you see your best days mixed with your worst, quickly. That said, the very nature of the sport provides a foundation for one to stand (or sit) on for life, until death do us part (hopefully at an old age). Point being, when lost, sometimes boxing is the place where individuals are found.

After a short stint in the amateurs, approximately 30 fights, Tomi became the youngest Finnish boxer to ever turn professional at 18 years of age. “I was a little nervous during my first fight,” which took place in the welterweight division, a division with a very storied history. Now fighting at 154, he acknowledges the fact that this is one of the hottest divisions in boxing. At this very moment in 2018, 154 is essential a war zone. The likes of Jarrett Hurd, Jermall Charlo, Erislandy Lara, Demetrius Andrade, Jamie Munguia, and Alantez Fox come to mind. There are multiple combinations for which great matchups could be made. Essentially, the sky’s the limit and as we all know, the sky is limitless.

I asked Tomi what the boxing scene was like in Finland as well as his experiences watching boxing when he was growing up. “The Finnish boxing scene is growing. I always wanted to be a pro boxer. It was my dream,” stated Tomi. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, so to speak. “My dad boxed when he was younger.” That’s a step towards something in itself, second generation boxer. As far as his favorite fighters coming up there was no question who had the most influence. “Pernell Whitaker and James Toney. They had attitude and skills, could talk it and back it up.” I’ll just let that sink in. If you know boxing, you know these fighters and you know their forte. The following saying is translatable across any sport and essentially any walk in life, skills pay bills but defense wins championships. That, of course, is the greatest prize bestowed upon an active fighter.

Later that day we took a stroll over to Hardknocks Training Center to watch Tomi’s good friend, Jesse Liljeberg, compete in an amateur MMA competition. He certainly looked the part and come to find out, he was a Muay Thai champion. That said, in any combat sport, it’s never a bad thing to have a boxer in your corner. “Sometimes, I’ll wrestle. it’s a good workout,” stated Tomi. Anyone who’s been around the world of wrestling knows this to be true. While there we met up with another critical piece to Tomi’s life and the sport of boxing, his twin brother, Roni.

Whenever Tomi fights, Roni is in his corner, period. Their bond is rooted deeper than boxing, as expected when you grow up alongside an identical twin brother. Blink twice and you just might not be able to tell them apart. Roni is an amateur boxer himself and who knows, he could eventually see himself following a similar path to a profession in boxing sometime in the near future. “He’s in my corner every time I go out,” stated Tomi. Enough said. Word is bond.

Tomi is not just simply a fighter, he watches the fight game with just as much dedication. We spoke of Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian phenom and consensus #1 pound for pound fighter of the world. With Lomachenko being from Ukraine, their countries aren’t too far apart. “He’s very good,” said Tomi, “Excellent boxer.” Game recognize game. As far as watching Terence Crawford, “I love it,” stated Tomi. Tomi fights and trains out at Helsinki. Many of the top fighters from Finland train here.

This is the home of Tarmo Boxing Club. While Tomi isn’t officially a member of the club, the opportunities to train with the best provide enough reason to remain. His coach for the last 2+ years, Ervin Kade, has found the spark within Tomi that has him on a path that only leads towards gold. Ervin Kade is also Tomi’s manager. Kade is out of Estonia, but he was born in Finland, so he knows the way of the land and having worked with some of the best boxers out of Finland, he knows exactly what needs to be done to take Tomi to the next level. Ervin is also a physical education teacher, so he’s pretty much dedicated his life to bettering others from a conditioning perspective.

“He’s very technical, tough. I give 100% or more every time. He says to me that if I’m lazy, I can be if I want but…” Insinuating that discipline is key and that he will not tolerate anything less than his fighters giving their all. “He’s good,” said Tomi with a chuckle. Tomi and Kade also spend time watching film to ensure that they’re aware of anything that could potentially be a detriment to his game in his future.

Did I mention that Tomi was in the military and served his country? Oh, yeah. Finland requires that all men 18 and above serve at a minimum between six and 12 months of service. No matter what walk of life, it’s a duty. “In Finland you have go to the military. I was more involved with physical training,” said Tomi. Tomi was a professional boxer at the time he served in the military. He chose not to fight any professional fights during that time because between his regular training along with the military requirement, he had his hands full on a daily basis. Tomi served six months in 2017, a duty much appreciated by his country.

As far as his training now, he still gets it in. “In the summer we go running a lot, and work on techniques and my endurance,” said Tomi. “I do lots of running, no light stuff.” On average he runs about 10 kilometers everytime he goes out. One thing for sure, boxing and the pavement, back alleys and streets, go hand in hand. The time and preparation that goes into getting one’s body in peak condition takes commitment and discipline. Finland isn’t short of sights, so strolling the streets is a bit pleasant from a viewing perspective.

Tomi is planning to be back in the ring this fall. His manager, Kade, wants to keep him busy moving forward. Make no question about it, a debut in the United States, is something that he’s looking forward to in the future. When it eventually happens, we’ll be there as a witness to something special. From a county of just over 5.5 million, when the spotlight is on their athletes, it truly shines.

With that, I encourage everyone to tune into this journey as where it ends has yet to be determined. What I can say, though, is no matter what hits you in life, fight back with just as much vigor. In the end, you only get one shot at life and the legacy you leave, no matter how far reaching, carries on forever.

Keep up with Tomi on Instagram.

Until next time, it’s been real…fight fans.

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