When were Soviets allowed to fight pro?

18 year old Cassius how old was Zigzy Pietrzykowski? Also note that there is no guarantee an Amateur fighter will make a great pro. Granted, but first off while it is only 3 rounds it is much more the equivalent of the pro game than amateur boxing is now with headgear Pietrzykowsky was 25 to answer your question Also Pietrzykowsky was Polish, the best Soviet lighthvy didn't compete, that's why the Soviet Middleweight great Shatkov competed, making it a very close fight in spite of barely being able to make the minimim weight for lighthvy my post was in response to the guy who was saying that the 70's heavies DESTROYED all other fighters in the AM's and none could of competed, i was pointing out that to say Ali was in a whole other class of skill from his Polish rival was B.S. and upon viewing it i don't think ALI won Stevenson and Vysotsky are 2 heavies that could of

I am Ukrainian and I am proud to say that Eastern European heavyweights are SUPERIOR. We're dominating and will conitnue dominating for a very very long time...you haters better get used to it. theres some italian guy in philly eatin raw eggs and beaten cow carcusses......he gonns upset ya'llbig time ...lol

actually after seeing this post i just rewatched the Pietrzykowski vs Ali finals fight 1st i gave to Pietrzykowski, not much happened but Zigzy landed more 2nd no doubt Pietrzykowski won 3rd 1st half Pietrzykowski had a slight edge then half way through Ali really started landing good and definitely took the 3rd so yeah, i think Clay's Gold is Bullshyt, Pietrzykowski won 2 rounds to 1 if you watch the fight pay attention to how horribly bias the english play by play is though, in the first 2 rounds he's crediting Ali for shyt that isn't landing 18 year old Cassius how old was Zigzy Pietrzykowski? Also note that there is no guarantee an Amateur fighter will make a great pro.

If they had that freedom then yes, but they didnt have it because they were communist. If they werent communist, they wouldnt have the fighters they had, so it would make no difference. The Soviet Union were good at sports because dictatorship somehow improves the sport in a country. Watch Cuba, and Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. Ever since Chavez became president of Venezuela, the sports there has grown by leap and bounds, just last Olympics were the first time Venezuela classified in soccer, volleyball, and baseball was the other I think. Venezuela is socialist not communist. The difference in those countries, is that the athletes are constantly monitored and they are trained 24/7 without having to worry about paying bills. In a way its like super-welfare.

just watched it.....thanks for posting.....i too think Pietrzykowski may have clinched that fight

actually after seeing this post i just rewatched the Pietrzykowski vs Ali finals fight 1st i gave to Pietrzykowski, not much happened but Zigzy landed more 2nd no doubt Pietrzykowski won 3rd 1st half Pietrzykowski had a slight edge then half way through Ali really started landing good and definitely took the 3rd so yeah, i think Clay's Gold is Bullshyt, Pietrzykowski won 2 rounds to 1 if you watch the fight pay attention to how horribly bias the english play by play is though, in the first 2 rounds he's crediting Ali for shyt that isn't landing

understand what some are saying but guys like Riddick Bowe, Michael Spinks, Roy Jones jr, Teofilo Stevenson lost to Soviet fights, lots of western greats did Gennadi Shatkov was the guy who Ali beat in the semi's, Shatkov was a middle weight, fighting at that weight against Ali and it was a close fight tied going into the last round http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvyUa6hmAnE&feature=related here is the link for Ali's next fight in the final against Pietrzykowski who Ali beat, to say he "outclassed" them is ridiculous, i'm sure lots of eastern greats could of competed with the best from the west, any era read up on Valeri Popenchenko, Vyacheslav Lemeshev, Viktor Savchenko, Nikolai Korolev, Igor Vysotsky, Gennady Shatkov Vysotsky Hvywt that beat Teofilo Stevenson twice, K.O.'ing him once, Igor cut easily, that was his achilles heel but tough as nails No matter how bad of a mother****ur you think you are there is always someone just as tough

I understand that most of the eastern block were not allowed to fight Professionally until like the 1990's. If they had the same freeedom as USA fighters do you think history would be vastly different? I think the likes of Frazier Foreman Ali etc etc would have had a much harder time to secure legacies.......and the golden era would have been even more Golden! Opinions. (keep it clean....this is not about black and white) Foreman KOed the best Soviet heavyweight in the world when he was a teenager in the Olympics. I believe in the 2nd round. and other successful amateurs did the same. I can certainly see some Soviet's having success and being top ten guys at times...but Frazier, Ali, Foreman...these guys were special. they would have walked through the best Soviets without that much of a hard fight, imo. I mean, a green teenage Foreman already beat the best Soviet HW, a green 20 year old Frazier beat the best Soviet HW, a green 18 year old Ali beat the best Soviet LHW in the world, etc... and these Soviets were in their prime ages, around their midtwenties through 30s.

Ya gotta respect Russian Power..."I WILL CRUSSSSH YOU"....and they mean it!...lol......although I do hope however theres some guy in Philly.......drinking Raw Eggs and Pounding frozen Beef Carcases right now....lmao

well the soviet fighters where often beaten by the young inexperienced american fighters at the olympics, guys like ali, foreman, spinks patterson etc etc etc. cosign................

I understand that most of the eastern block were not allowed to fight Professionally until like the 1990's. If they had the same freeedom as USA fighters do you think history would be vastly different? I think the likes of Frazier Foreman Ali etc etc would have had a much harder time to secure legacies.......and the golden era would have been even more Golden! Opinions. (keep it clean....this is not about black and white) If they had that freedom then yes, but they didnt have it because they were communist. If they werent communist, they wouldnt have the fighters they had, so it would make no difference. The Soviet Union were good at sports because dictatorship somehow improves the sport in a country. Watch Cuba, and Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. Ever since Chavez became president of Venezuela, the sports there has grown by leap and bounds, just last Olympics were the first time Venezuela classified in soccer, volleyball, and baseball was the other I think.

This exact topic has been made before. even down to the Ali Frazier part.

yeah I think Ivan Drago would have KO'd Ali to be honest. (same could be said about Cuban fighters too, the smaller weight classes would have a whole lot more Cuban champions) Ivan Drago one of the best all time p4p 2250 psi punch says it all. Questionable though for steroid allegations

well the Soviet fighters where often beaten by the young inexperienced American fighters at the Olympics, guys like Ali, Foreman, Spinks Patterson etc etc etc.

I understand that most of the earstern block were not allowed to fight Professionally until like the 1990's. had same freeedom as USA fighters do you think histonry would be vastly different? I think the likes of Frazier Foreman Ali etc etc would have had a much harder time to secure legacies.......and the golden era would have been even more Golden! Opinions. (keep it clean....this is not about black and white) Its not like Eastern Europeans suddenly got athletic, the talent had to have been always there, and there are some big feckers there. The heavyweight scene would have been even tastier had politics not existed preventing it.