Footage of Soviet MW Great Viktor Ageev

The Soviet Union had some very good MW's in the 1950's and 60's with fighters like Valeriy Popenchenko, Boris Lagutin, Viktor Ageev, Gennady Shatkov. Almost everyone would rank Popenchenko #1 and Lagutin #2 but Ageev never lost a fight in International compitition and went 2-2 against Lagutin. He was the 2x European Champion in 1965 and 1967 and the 4x Soviet champion.

He had a reputation of being a little unpredictable outside the ring and in training which matched his unorthodox style in the ring fighting with his hands down and having a defense that relied alot on his reflexes.

His career was ended premature in 1968 when he was imprisoned in a Gulag. After getting out he became a trainer to some very good Soviet boxers including Viktor Rybakov who was Kostya Tszyu's idol growing up.

3:30-7:30 are the best parts

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7du0aNaf-_c[/ame]


ESB article which gives a review of his career and speaks about his imprisonment

[url]http://www.eastsideboxing.com/weblog/news.php?p=7600&more=1[/url]

End of Career

"However, outside the ring Ageev had different opponents, and unlike Tyson, even though he never swung first, sometimes fighting was an absolute necessity. The Khrushchev administration began a vicious campaign against, “Star Fever,” and made a “bright” initial example of Eduard Strel’tsov. Really it was a campaign against individuality, originality, and independence. Victor Ageev became the second imploding victim of that campaign. His first punishment was a fight in the restaurant “Metropol,” where he had forgotten his cigarettes and tried going back to fetch them. The doorman allowed him to return, while another man, in civilian clothing tried to stop him by grabbing his shoulders. The “civilian,” who was really a Police captain, suffered a broken nose, and a concussion while accomplishing his real objective by helping Ageev get thrown in jail.

The second time Ageev wound up in jail was also because of a fight and again in a restaurant. When it was discovered that he was a repeat offender, the final result was inescapable: Court, prison, and finally the dreaded prison camp.

The stint at the camp in Komi, Siberia, could have ended up very tragic as Ageev had to fight for an altogether different kind of survival then the one he was used to in the ring. One time he was almost beaten to death with crowbars. Another time he was almost crushed to death in a crowded police van. Once he froze almost to the point of dying in the cold Siberian climate.

After getting out Victor Petrovich decided to change his life and become a trainer. He didn’t even get the mandatory prisoner’s tattoo as all the other inmates. “I thought, how could I train kids with a tattoo,” he explained later.

As a Trainer

Ageev the trainer was no less effective then Ageev the boxer. His list of successes in the corner was no less impressive then his fighting record: Rybakov, Limasov, Solomin, Galkin, the conqueror of the famous Cuban Angel Herrera Anatoly Petrov, and the first professional Russian champ Victor Egorov. Furthermore, Nikolai Tokarev, Sergei Kobzev, and Victor Karpuhin. Of course, Ageev didn’t just train anybody and wanted to only take on fighters with certain criteria. It seemed like he placed more focus on a boxer’s spirit rather then their athletic ability.

His training methods were often quite original. When his fighters would ask to relax a bit during training he would agree and even pour the champagne himself. When they would take a sip he would start smacking them uncontrollably. They should have said “No!”

Victor Rybakov remembers, “When I would finish a round and go to my corner, he would slowly pick up the stool, and slowly start climbing the steps to the ring. Then the bell would sound signaling the start of the next round. He would innocently raise his arms and shout, “Sorry I couldn’t make it.” Then one time instead of giving me advice he decided to tell me a joke.”

Povetkin quote

To the question of who were some of his favorite national fighters, Alexander gave the following response:

“To answer both of these I will say, in boxing you always have to be creative and think up something new. Unpredictability, if it is organized and uniform in a sense, becomes even more important as time passes. This is why I really enjoy watching the great Viktor Ageev’s old fights, as well as asking him for advice. He is like a father figure to any person who has anything to do with boxing in our country.”

 

Would be interested to hear some peoples thoughts on the footage and Ageev as a boxer.

 

The boxer he's training that is shown fighting is Viktor Rybakov, Kostya Tszyu's idol. 3x European Champion and 2x Olympic Bronze medallist.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH0bhQT6kmA[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIZ2BPBT7EI[/ame]

 

Even if you had been incorrect i fail to see how that would make you a fool. Those Rybakov Olympic fights on youtube are new to me and i wouldn't have searched had you not asked about him so thank you.

Never heard of him. I just quickly looked at the final results for the Soviet Nationals from 83-89 and didn't see that name in that weight range. You can look more carefully for yourself if you want here.

[url]http://amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Nationalchamps/SovietUnion.html[/url]

 

He looks a little like Russian MW Matvey Korobov

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