In his pro debut Oleg Maskaev was matched with 21-0 Alex Miroschnichenko, who had been an excellent soviet amateur and was being brought along as a prospect. Maskaev knocked him out. Five fights later the 6-0 Maskaev tried his luck against recently dethroned former WBC champion Oliver McCall but thet proved a step too far. Maskaev has taken the hard road his entire career, that's not the usual story of a title-holder these days.
