By Alexey Sukachev

“It’s not about scoring goals, it’s about winning”, which is a slogan told to me by one of my friends from the web. That’s the motto of his soccer blog but that’s not all. If one carefully looks around, he will surely find a handful of side proofs for this simple axiom (or it’s better to say postulate). Boxing, as always, has no shortages of them giving time and again enough food for a willing thought.

Alexander Kolesnikov’s life both in and outside the ring can be one of the most telling exemplars of an old wisdom. Alexander was a prosperous businessman in his forties but he has abandoned his social and financial status to realize an old dream of becoming a prizefighter. He isn’t only an active professional boxer now. He is also a manager, a promoter, a matchmaker. He writes about boxing, he photographs it and he even does ring announcing work at some events, which makes him a unique indivdiual.

Kolesnikov turned 45 two weeks ago. So the reason for a call wasn’t an interview but just a desire to congratulate this man on his birthday. We know each other quite a bit yet once again our conversation evolved into an exciting story, more a monologue than a dialogue, about a way boxer lives and also about the current state of the Sweet Science.

“Actually, I was born in Grozny. You know what this city is all about. Later my family relocated to the Far East of Russia, and I was living in Sakhalin (a huge island to the north of Hokkaido and to the east from the eastern shore of Russia). There I have got acquainted with boxing for the first time. I was walking together with a friend of mine, a big 6’7’’ guy who was looking frightening. We were soon approached by a huge group of some toughies. My companion just ran away and I, a 15-year old youngster, chose to get it on. Surely I was mercilessly beat on by a number of bigger guys – a usual story for street boys in any country. I was unable to defend myself, I just couldn’t fight. Then, somewhat later, I found a notice about one of boxing section in a town. I read it, my heart missed a bit and that was it – I was done”.

One can hardly remember an amateur, named Alexander Kolesnikov. The 80's was a time of astounding growth of Soviet boxing. Getting to the national team was a major task, one which only the cream of top Soviet amateurs could achieve. Kolesnikov wasn’t that lucky.

“I have never been an outstanding amateur boxer. I was good though, really good. I have served my duties in the navy. Moreover, I was a champion of the only Soviet marine division based in Vladivostok; there were a number of marine brigades and the one and only marine division, and I was its best fighter in 80’s when I was competing at 165 pounds. Soviet head coaches invited me to take part in the Olympics and national sparring sessions, I was helping the best to prepare for the best, and it was a real school for me. However, there was no path inside. I thought about becoming a full-time boxer, even as an amateur, but I soon realized boxing politics was getting the better of me. I wasn’t given a single chance to shine back in eighties. There were some offers to fight abroad but I chose to stay here in my Homeland”.

Alexander’s boxing career wasn’t set to be long though. “I was starting my sporting life at the twilight of the USSR. Then it collapsed, and a world of crime and jumble had fallen down. The sport ended for me and I just started my new life in business. I wasn’t a business tycoon but I had my bread with butter. I earned enough money to live. But something gnawed at me; something dispirited me; that was a feeling of incompleteness. I had never realized my dream of becoming a real boxer and that feeling just ate me from inside. I decided to leave whatever I had, I quit my previous contacts and I went away from my friends. My life has changed drastically and entirely. That was one of the most crucial decisions in my life”.

The decision to mount a comeback crossed Kolesnikov’s mind when he was already 40 years of age. The work to get back into shape was simply hellish. “I wasn’t in terrible shape. At least I tried to jog, to jump rope and to make simplest physical exercises. But you know what? When I abandoned my jeep I started to travel around Moscow to my training facility with a help of its underground. You need to make several steps upstairs when entering an open-air once again. And I was terribly short-winded when I first went upstairs. It took me a year and a half to get back into satisfying shape and to get myself up for the first pro bout. I made a considerable sacrifice. For example, I didn’t like running. I have never done much running when I competed as an amateur. I was literally forced to take that regimen of preparation when I started my boxing career from where it had interrupted. That was the hardest work I had ever faced in my life”.

Kolesnikov shortly ran into a who’s who in the Moscow gyms. “I sparred with a number of gifted guys. I stood in with talented amateur heavyweight Albert Guseyhanov, whose only losses came against such notables as Alexander Alexeev (now 19-1, 17 KOs as a pro) and Roman Romanchuk. I was also working with Akhmed Oligov (21-7-1, 4 KOs), well-known toughmen Sergey Karanevich (29-16, 15 KOs) and Teymuraz Kekelidze (16-31-1, 12 KOs)”.

On the 31st of May 2007 Alexander Kolesnikov broke through Russian Book of Records with a debuting six-round unanimous decision (59-57, 59-56 and 58-56) over Anton Krasnolutskiy (5-10 at the time) becoming the oldest debutant ever (just a month short of his 42nd birthday) to start his pro career with a victory.

“A debut is an event you can’t compare to anything in your life. It gave me an unmatched feeling. But before I entered a prize ring I first tried my skills as an amateur once again. I fought twice on one of lesser tournaments and I lost both times. I did my best but I was shaped for fighting as a pro. I had been training with prizefighters, I had been doing the same kind of gym work and I was too slow (at 41) to make any impact on the amateur scene again. But I gave a try and I delivered a stern fight to both of my opponents. The second one, he went to the tournament’s final and he lost to Matvey Korobov (now up-and-coming middleweight prospect) only on points. And then, later, I continued my preparation for a real debut. I was trained by Vladimir Lavrov, a great trainer even though he is now in his eighties. I was thrown deep into the water and I sparred with such notables as Oligov and Zaurbek Baysangurov (now 23-1 with 17 KOs and ranked highly at junior middleweight). Those encounters were really tough and they gave me a lot”.

However, the debuting fight wasn’t a walk in the park for Kolesnikov. “Krasnolutskiy proved to be a tough guy and he gave me everything despite his losing record. I thought I would finish him in the second – he was rocked several times during that stanza – but he suddenly hit me hard in return and I was very lucky not to find myself on canvas. I tried hard and I almost broke him down in the fifth round once again but he managed to survive till the final bell. I remember every moment of that fight even though it occurred more than three years ago. A wonderful feeling”.

Preparation for the next fight was considerably tougher. “I fought for the second time in September 2008 against Vladimir Sazonov (4-9, 2 KOs). It was all extreme before fight time. Firstly, my head coach Lavrov wasn’t in place. He was busy preparing some other guys for their upcoming contests. Secondly, I was let down by my promoter. That was a major setback”.

That contest was a tough one for Alexander, “I don’t want to make any excuses but I was hit hard by the flu days before a fight. It wasn’t me in the ring, just a shadow of my former self. I started that fight intensively bringing a war to Sazonov. I landed numerous power shots but he was able to pull it through. He was really tough.

Moreover, that Belarussian guy, he was really crazy. He was taking all my punches, gave nothing in return but just smiled and invited me to bring’em more punches. What was I supposed to do? I increased my punch output but he just laughed at me. Anyway, I caught him in the second and he went down throw the ropes. He just tore them and then the lights went off. There was a lengthy break for about twenty minutes when they tried to fix it up. But that Belarussian monster, he went inside right after the break’s end and started swinging. There were numerous hard exchanges but I took a better of him. He was close to knock me out in the fifth but I managed to get through and to finish this contest really strong”.

An official result of the fight was a six-round draw: Alexander Kalinkin had it 58-56 – for Kolesnikov, Ramil Fayzutdinov saw it exactly the same in favour of Sazonov and Evgueny Gorstkov scored a draw 57-57. “I feel I was misjudged. I won that fight fair and square, and even Sazonov himself was surprised with an outcome. I was a better man that night but I just wasn’t treated fairly”.

Kolesnikov isn’t only a boxer; he is also a photographer and a ring announcer, not to speak about his promotional and managerial functions. He is always ready to save a show when something unexpected is coming promoter’s way. For example, he helped Konstantin Piternov vs. Benson Mwakyembe fight go by announcing it in a really vivid way. Alexander also holds his own boxing portal Akboxing.ru. “I like boxing in any way it exists. I love to live by boxing. It also inspires me and makes me tougher. So you can say that boxing is literally a life for me”. As a common witness of various boxing events in Eastern Europe and as a passionate fan with a deep practical knowledge Kolesnikov is indispensable in assessing Russian boxers and their fights. We asked him about several of these fights and of these boxers.

About the best Russian fighter and the most memorable fight, “Of those contests I have seen myself – and I saw a number of fights as you’ve correctly stated – the most memorable were the following battles: between Arman Sargsyan and Andrey Devyataykin (the rest of that bout was nothing short of a standing eight count prolonged to a full distance of the fight; I couldn’t even believe that Sargsyan was able to survive till the ninth round), Vasily Lepikhin vs. Roman Simakov in 2009 was helluva fight as well – hey, Alexey, you surely know this better than me, as you were supervising that one! Yeah, BBU title was at stake – I remember it pretty well. Igor Ivanov vs. Sherzod Nazarov on my own show (alongside Roman Kim) was a fascinating encounter between a free-swinging Uzbek brawler and tough-as-nails Russian stylist and former amateur star.

Speaking about certain fighters I must point out such figures as Dmitry Pirog, Zaurbek Baysangurov and Denis Lebedev. The latter impressed me especially with the menace in his fists. Sergey Karanevich, who lost to Denis years ago (before his 4-year long hiatus), told me once that Denis was the most powerful of those hitters he went against during his pro career”.

About Pirog vs. Jacobs , “I saw moments of Jacobs fight versus Ishe Smith. I remember him for his ears; they are truly eye-popping, hahahaha. But he is a serious fighter; he is a young fighter, a coming-up fighter. He will have the USA behind his back, and that’s a minus for Dmitry because fans, judges (even if they’ll try to remain objective under such a pressure) – they’ll support younger Jacobs. But Dmitry has some strengths too. I know him pretty well as I have stood in with him. He is elusive, his body movement is no less than excellent and it increases his defensive ability, and he is truly amazing in grinding his opponents down. I mean he isn’t an in-your-face type of slugger. He is smarter. When I saw him for the first time I couldn’t understand what is so special about him. But when you stand with him in the ring, it’s totally different. He can unify his best skills to become a total package. You think he is ordinary from your ringside seat but he is way stronger than he seems to be at first glance.

This bout is a lifetime chance for Pirog. He can become a champion; his potential is truly amazing. Surely, he must have his A+ day on July 31 and nothing short of it but I give him a decent chance – say, 80% - to beat Jacobs and to become Russia’s next world champion”.

About Povetkin vs. Wladimir Klitschko , “Oh, that’s a wonderful match-up, a long-suffering one. I still doubt there will be a fight between Klitschko and Povetkin. Wladimir has become a true marvel recently. He made a major step-up in class in the last five years. Klitschko is a totally different fighter compared to his former self a few years ago. He took the best from Lennox Lewis and evolved into a really remorseless fighting machine and I can’t see a fighter who can go through him. Because of all that, I think Teddy Atlas will have the toughest task in the coming future to prepare Sasha for an upcoming battle. But Atlas is an experienced trainer. If he can teach Povetkin to get inside quickly, without eating these freaky jabs by Klitschko, and to land some explosive shots while on the inside, an upcoming fight can become somewhat outstanding and truly memorable. I don’t want to make any predictions about that one”.

About Valuev vs. Vitaly Klitschko , “I’m waiting for this one patiently but the guys cannot just make a final sign in their contracts. It looks like a financial question here is taking over a desire to fight each other. But if this contest is set it will surely be an amazing, a serious fight. Some think Valuev will be a victim there – I disagree with such a straightforward approach. It all depends on their fight camps. Valuev has his advantages – he is tall (extremely), long-armed, his punches are thrown with bad intentions and he is physically strong… If he is prepared perfectly… I think Team Valuev was a bit wrong in choosing an approach for Haye fight. Valuev shouldn’t run after lighter, faster opponent; he shouldn’t press them. For him it’s better to stay in his track, not to play his opponent’s game. If Valuev tactics is right, the fight will be really fun to watch – it will all depend on Vitaly’s skills and preparation. It’ll be interesting”.

About Zaurbek Baysangurov , “I’m delighted to say a few words about Zaurbek, a young fighter with specific genetics. He is uniquely diligent outside the ring and remarkably endurable inside the squared circle. And he lives by fighting, he is hungry and he is always ready either to box or to stand in pairs. Zaurbek is a wonderful material and, not speaking about his promoters, he has everything to become a bright star. Unfortunately, he has some bad delays in his development but it has much to do with his handlers, not with him. Speaking about his loss to Cornelius Bundrage, that was learning yet a bitter experience. Bundrage is a serious fighter and sometimes such things happen. I hope Baysangurov will teach this lesson, and it’ll help him much in the future”.

About Bakhtov vs. Dmitrenko , “That’s an interesting fight to come. I remember Dmitrenko well because he was training in Moscow at CSKA when he was an amateur, before his farewell to Germany. He was a strong, promising fighter with decent skills. His best win came against Luan Krasniqi when Sasha dropped him with a hellish body punch. From what I saw that bout was a peak of his professional career so far. His battle versus Eddie Chambers was much more disappointing. I was surprised in a bad way how sluggish and weak-willed Alexander looked in that fight. His loss was well-earned, Dmitrenko was indeed bad there. He missed a year since that so I don’t know in which shape he is being right now. But I lean towards Bakhtov in this one. At least, Denis will have a home advantage”.

About his own future , “I’m looking for fights and I’m looking for titles. Certainly at 45 years of age it will be too naïve to hunt after major world titles but some minor belts are here for me. I want to become a champion (sorts of) but I need fights to accomplish my dream. I can handle myself as a manager and as a promoter but that’s increasingly hard now. If there’s anybody who can help me organize a good event in which my bout will be a part of televised section I’ll much appreciate. Maybe with the help of such devotee as (for example) Steven Bash, a good friend of Russian boxing, I can get a date overseas even without TV. It’ll be an interesting experience. I haven’ yet said my final word in boxing. I still have some decent fire which guides me”.

A part of Alexander’s interview can be seen in Russian here.