The history behind Soviet-style boxing
Not only did this school of fighting create champions in Eastern Europe, it influenced boxers across the entire world, explains JOHN WIGHT
kapow: Oleksandr Usyk (left) lands a punch on Tyson Fury during ninth round of the Heavyweight Championship fight in Riyadh, May 18, 2024
Johnny Sexton appointed as an assistant coach
THE SOVIET school/style of boxing — think Bivol, think Usyk, think Golovkin, think Kovalev, and think the Klitschko brothers — traces its roots to the famed boxing schools of the now non-existent communist state.
These were the breeding grounds for the development of the tactical acumen and technical precision within a fighter’s armoury.
It was devised as a response to the challenges posed by opponents, rather than the reliance on sheer personal toughness and determination.
More from this author
JOHN WIGHT takes us on a journey back to a decade defined by union power, pop stars, and gritty football icons - no boxer embodied the heart and soul of 1970s Britain quite like Dave Boy Green
JOHN WIGHT pays tribute to the late great George Foreman who defied the odds throughout his life and career to become a household name and legend of the sport
JOHN WIGHT writes about the fascinating folklore surrounding the place which has been home to some of the most ferocious bareknuckle and unlicensed fighters throughout history
JOHN WIGHT questions how legend of the sport Roberto Duran is lending credibility to the sportswashing circus that is Riyadh Season — and at what cost?
