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By Scoop Malinowski
There are boxing prospects – and then there are prospects like Matvey Korobov. Korobov, who now goes by the name Matt, is a two-time world amateur champ from Russia. Birningham is impressed by what he has seen so far from the talented and hard-working 26-year-old super middleweight. “Matt Korobov is probably the most disciplined fighter I’ve ever seen in my life,” says the renowned trainer who has worked with Winky Wright since his teenage years. “He never goes out, never goes to the bars or clubs or anything like that. He trains. He does more than what you ask him to do in the gym. After the workout he goes home for a two-hour nap. Then he’ll go to the fitness center, he’ll swim, bike, he does the runs, sometimes a couple of times a day. I mean, the guy’s just focused with his diet. His dad George is with him every step of the way. Goes to bed at 10 o’clock every night. He’s just a machine. And enjoys all of it.”
Korobov’s work ethic and devotion to boxing are astounding. He chose boxing as his career at the age of 11 and has committed his life to the sweet science. Korobov won the European junior title in 2001. He missed the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens because his country chose to send Gaydarkeb Gaydarbekov to the Games instead. Gaydarbekov ended up winning gold at welterweight and the Val Barker Trophy as the most outstanding, most stylistic boxer of the 2004 Games. Korobov went to the 2008 Games in Beijing but lost a disputed 10-7 points loss in the second round to Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan. Without hesitation, Top Rank signed Korobov and hosted a major press conference in Brooklyn, New York shortly after. Korobov turned pro on November 1 and after his win on the Margarito-Mosley undercard he is currently 3-0 with 3 KO’s.
“When I heard the story when he was 11 and his father moved to America, he wanted to stay in Russia to pursue a boxing career – at 11 years old. And then didn’t see his mother and father for 11 years,” says Birmingham. “I mean, what American kid could do that? I mean, the guy is just amazing. And the nicest kid. A gentleman at all times. He knows how to flip the switch in and out of the ring. American people are going to love this guy.”
Korobov is clearly well liked and respected at the St. Pete Boxing Club which is located on 49th Street, just a few miles from the beach on the western side of Florida. He gets along with and interacts with all of the other aspiring boxers who work there, even though his English is still somewhat broken. Korobov has sparred with Wright, Jeff Lacy, Keith Thurman, among others. Today, he is working with former Czech national champ Adam Hubinger and the whole gym – which consists of about a dozen people – stops to watch in muted respect. Both fighters are impressive, but Korobov has the speed and flowing precision that takes years upon years of training to attain. It’s a marvel to watch such athletic genius.
As Korobov and Hubinger spar, the words from Birmingham that colorize the atmosphere:
“This is like a European final here.”
“Quick jab. Keep using that feint. Show him the right.”
“Dont’ stand still, keep moving.”
“Good defense.”
“Keep your knees bent. Good angles.”
“Move your head after you punch.”
After sparring with Hubinger (11-0 with10 KO’s), Korobov spends a lot of time doing abwork and stretching, quietly off to the side.
What does this determined Russian need to improve to take it to the highest level? Is he already a finished product, just waiting to gain experience and build his record to climb the rankings? To my eyes, Korobov looks like he could win a world title in 2009.
“He’s not a finished product. But he was very well schooled in Russia when he came to me in America he still had the European, palms down hook. So that was the first thing I started working with him. I changed him to the American hook. And he’s never looked back. So now we’re learning how to set it up, use it as a counter, work the body more, just to be a complete, well-rounded fighter.”
There are boxing prospects – and then there are prospects like Matvey Korobov. Korobov, who now goes by the name Matt, is a two-time world amateur champ from Russia. Birningham is impressed by what he has seen so far from the talented and hard-working 26-year-old super middleweight. “Matt Korobov is probably the most disciplined fighter I’ve ever seen in my life,” says the renowned trainer who has worked with Winky Wright since his teenage years. “He never goes out, never goes to the bars or clubs or anything like that. He trains. He does more than what you ask him to do in the gym. After the workout he goes home for a two-hour nap. Then he’ll go to the fitness center, he’ll swim, bike, he does the runs, sometimes a couple of times a day. I mean, the guy’s just focused with his diet. His dad George is with him every step of the way. Goes to bed at 10 o’clock every night. He’s just a machine. And enjoys all of it.”
Korobov’s work ethic and devotion to boxing are astounding. He chose boxing as his career at the age of 11 and has committed his life to the sweet science. Korobov won the European junior title in 2001. He missed the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens because his country chose to send Gaydarkeb Gaydarbekov to the Games instead. Gaydarbekov ended up winning gold at welterweight and the Val Barker Trophy as the most outstanding, most stylistic boxer of the 2004 Games. Korobov went to the 2008 Games in Beijing but lost a disputed 10-7 points loss in the second round to Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan. Without hesitation, Top Rank signed Korobov and hosted a major press conference in Brooklyn, New York shortly after. Korobov turned pro on November 1 and after his win on the Margarito-Mosley undercard he is currently 3-0 with 3 KO’s.
“When I heard the story when he was 11 and his father moved to America, he wanted to stay in Russia to pursue a boxing career – at 11 years old. And then didn’t see his mother and father for 11 years,” says Birmingham. “I mean, what American kid could do that? I mean, the guy is just amazing. And the nicest kid. A gentleman at all times. He knows how to flip the switch in and out of the ring. American people are going to love this guy.”
Korobov is clearly well liked and respected at the St. Pete Boxing Club which is located on 49th Street, just a few miles from the beach on the western side of Florida. He gets along with and interacts with all of the other aspiring boxers who work there, even though his English is still somewhat broken. Korobov has sparred with Wright, Jeff Lacy, Keith Thurman, among others. Today, he is working with former Czech national champ Adam Hubinger and the whole gym – which consists of about a dozen people – stops to watch in muted respect. Both fighters are impressive, but Korobov has the speed and flowing precision that takes years upon years of training to attain. It’s a marvel to watch such athletic genius.
As Korobov and Hubinger spar, the words from Birmingham that colorize the atmosphere:
“This is like a European final here.”
“Quick jab. Keep using that feint. Show him the right.”
“Dont’ stand still, keep moving.”
“Good defense.”
“Keep your knees bent. Good angles.”
“Move your head after you punch.”
After sparring with Hubinger (11-0 with10 KO’s), Korobov spends a lot of time doing abwork and stretching, quietly off to the side.
What does this determined Russian need to improve to take it to the highest level? Is he already a finished product, just waiting to gain experience and build his record to climb the rankings? To my eyes, Korobov looks like he could win a world title in 2009.
“He’s not a finished product. But he was very well schooled in Russia when he came to me in America he still had the European, palms down hook. So that was the first thing I started working with him. I changed him to the American hook. And he’s never looked back. So now we’re learning how to set it up, use it as a counter, work the body more, just to be a complete, well-rounded fighter.”
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