Status: Heavyweight contender.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 243

Born On: November 8, 1976 In: Stockholm, Sweden

Childhood Heroes: “I looked up to Muhammad Ali when I first started boxing.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I like animals. I like to study animals. I like the big cats. I read a lot of books about them. I haven’t had the opportunity to go on any field trips yet but I like to study them through books and National Geographic motion pictures. (Favorite big cat?) Leopards. It’s stealthy, powerful and it’s beautiful to look at.”

Favorite Movies: “Either Predator with Arnold Schwarzeneggar or Blade with Wesley Snipes.”

Musical Tastes: “Reggae.”

Favorite TV Show: “Oh man, American Chopper, about the motorcycles.”

Favorite Meal: “Chicken parmigian.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Oh, hazelnut.”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “I think they’re called Bran Flakes Crunch.”

Early Boxing Memory: “When I first won the junior Swedish championships (age 16). I realized I was the best heavyweight in the junior division on the whole of Sweden. It was a very good memory. I had two fights and I knocked them both out. It was an awesome experience. (What punch did it?) I don’t remember. I was wild then. I only had conditioning for one round. I just went out, threw punches like crazy and took them both out. I won the senior Swedish championship in ‘95, that was a defining moment.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “When I qualified to make the Olympics. I was laughing on the podium. I won a bronze medal at the European championships. I was trying to look all serious, my teammates were making funny faces, so I couldn’t keep myself from laughing.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “My comeback fight after my one loss (KO 1 to Earl Hayes in 2000). The fight after that when I came back and I beat Marcellus Brown. In the Thunderbox tournament in Las Vegas. And I knocked him out in the third round. That was one of my greatest moments.”

Most Painful Moment: “When I lost. My one loss, of course. I completely underestimated my opponent. And he was strong and took me out first round. Quick. Christ, I can’t even like remember anything from it.”

Worst Injury: “Twisted my knee when I got knocked out.”

Favorite Boxers To Watch: “De La Hoya - I like him. He’s good. He’s got the desire. He’s determined. He got power. He got speed. He got the overall package. Lennox Lewis was one of my favorites. Because I think he treated himelf with such a good style. He did what he had to do to win the fights. That’s why I like Lennox Lewis. Didn’t care too much what the public wanted. He just did what he had to do to win the fight.”

Favorite Fights: “Bowe vs. Gonzalez, the big Cuban. The punches that Bowe threw and the way that Gonzalez absorbed them…and finally got knocked out, was very impressive. And the Tyson-Holyfield, the first one.”

First Job: “Plastic factory, making these small plastic things. With the powder. And I burned myself [smiles].”

First Car: “Ford Explorer ‘94. Still have it, actually. (What color?) white.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “I’ve got the butterflies. I think everybody does. Just focused on the fight. And not thinking too much of what he’s gonna be doing, instead of what I’m doing. I think about I’ve done all I can do. I did my running, sparring. Did all that stuff. That calms me down a bit.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “That they’re honest. Don’t try to be fake. Don’t smile in my face if you don’t want to smile in my face. You don’t need to. If you don’t like me, then don’t deal with me. Honesty is one of my favorite qualities in people.”