Alexander Zolkin: The HW that started it all...

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hum...4937&cat=boxer

Zolkin was the first Russian and Soviet boxer to turn pro in the USA. A pioneer in that regard. Somewhat of a precursor to fighters like K2, Povetkin, Pulev, Chakiev, Ibragimov, Maskaev, Golota etc (East European fighters of great stature with good boxing skills). This guy paved the way for them!

A tall southpaw who had over 200 amateur fights when he defected at some point before 1990 and turned pro that year. He won his first 14 fights before running into Tony Tubbs, who handled him his first pro loss in what some thought was a controversial decision, in 1993. He avenged that loss later as well as the one to Mike Hunter (on SD). Along the way, he beat some contenders like Art Tucker, Frankie Swindell, Carl Williams, James Tillis and John McClain. In 1995 he tkoed Rocky Pepeli in 3 rounds to earn the NABF belt. He defended it against former Holyfield-challenger Bert Cooper by TKO 9. He made the second one against Tubbs, in the aforementioned revenge. In 1996 he got the shot at the WBO title against titleholder, the Nigerian-born 6'7 Henry Akinwande who was 30-0-1.

In a brave fight, Zolkin was down once in the fourth round and suffered an inch-long cut on his right eyelid in the sixth, that would take 25 stitches to close. Still he managed to keep his composure and gave Akinwande a tough fight until the doctor stopped it at the end of the 10th round. Disappointed by the loss and angered at what he thought was a premature stoppage, Zolkin quit boxing. He returned in 1999 and went 4-0-1, his last fight being a draw against Cuban hope Elieser Castillo in January 2000. After that he retired for good.

Zolkin was known for his ability to take a lot of punishment and his main assets were his fast jab, his size and reach and good boxing skills. On the downside, he is considered as not much of a finisher and not a big puncher either. However, with 19 of his 28 wins coming by way of stoppage, he couldn't have been a featherfist either. He was slated to face Riddick Bowe but was replaced with Golota, who was seen as a better draw.

Good fighter. Every K2 fan should know the name of Zolkin.

Not many fights of his fights are freely available (a couple of his lesser ones here):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUDB2ruGRAQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7103jYZFTxs

Look's familiar doesn't he!

He wasn't too shabby from what I remember, but I think he went as far as he was meant to go. Nice straight punches. I think he was actually on the second wave of Soviet boxers as a bunch debuted months earlier on USA. Vaulin, Artemiev brothers etc? He was def jobbed in the initial Tubbs fight but Hunter was too shifty and spoiling style for him.

I like his "seek and destroy" style, he reminds me of Gennady Golovkin.

Good to see a bit of love for Zolkin.

Shame to think about all the Soviet talent that we lost. We were lucky to have Nazarov and Yuri in the lower weights thankfully but so much was lost out on.