Biography
Oleg Maskaev is probably the most mysterious boxer of all time. The most authoritative sources are confused, determining the place of his birth. Some point to the Kazakh Dzhambul, others – to the Kyrgyz (the city itself is located on the border of the two states), and others generally state that the future champion was born in the city of Abai (Kazakhstan).
Obviously, the latter version is the most likely, since Oleg's father, a Mordvin by nationality, settled in Abai after army service to work at the mine, where he married at one time. The reason that forced the fifth-grader, accompanied by his father, to go to the boxing section was extremely simple: high school students brazenly took money from Oleg. It was not his father's wishes in addition to the belt, or the coaching advice quickly reborn the zatyukany kid into a master, who won the title of champion of Kazakhstan among young men three years later. But then, for Oleg, boxing had not yet become the main business of his life. Probably, after graduating from a mining college, and working in the mine, he dreamed of a different path in life.
Then there was army service, but in the sports company, Kazakh Maskaev, as a hopeless one, did not impress the commanders. But in Tashkent, I liked it, where I soon became the best at the World Cup, the silver medalist of the 1992 World Championship and the triumphant of the Friendly Armies Spartakiad from Uzbekistan. By the way, it was then that Oleg forced Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko to capitulate.
Professional career
If the amateur career turned out as well as possible, the professional one, which Oleg Maskaev decided to continue in the USA, did not go in the expected direction.
In the beginning there were victories and even the heavyweight championship title according to PABA, and then a defeat from the former world champion American Oliver McCall. The loss somewhat cooled the hot head of Maskaev and, as it turned out, timely. He approached the fight for the WBC International belt extremely collected and fully armed. When three rivals on the way to the title were defeated, on April 5, 1997, the main fight with New Zealander David Tua took place, which lasted 11 rounds, but ended with a knockdown and an insulting defeat for Maskaev. However, later the referee, who admitted the loss without counting, was suspended, but it was no easier.
Oleg, who by that time had already been nicknamed "Big O", sweetened the bitter pill of defeat with a victory on October 2, 1998 against New Zealander Toakip Tasef in a duel for the vacant PABA title. Sometimes, after a knockout, even great boxers fly out of the ring. This happened in the 8th round with the American heavyweight Hasism Rahman on November 6, 1999 against Maskaev during the "Knockout of the Year" match according to The Ring magazine.
And then the Big O began a black streak. It lasted until August 2006. During this time, Maskaev lost the most important matches by knockouts: American Lance Whitaker – the WBC Continental American title, Canadian Kirk Johnson – the PABA belt.
Victories alternated with defeats, and only in November 2005 the sun shone on the horizon of Oleg Maskaev. Nine victories allowed us to get closer to the fight with Sinan Samil Sam from Turkey for the WBC International title and compete for the title of mandatory challenger for the WBC championship belt. Then the fighting character of Big O was fully manifested. He won by the end of 12 rounds.
The next year Oleg Maskaev was waiting for another success. And he then defeated the reigning champion – American Hasim Rahman. The fight determined the WBC world champion. The successful defense of the championship title in a duel against Ugandan Ohello Peter on December 10, 2006, as it turned out, had the effect of an unexploded bomb. The explosion occurred on March 8, 2008. Then Nigerian Samuel Peter and the current champion met in the title match. A younger and fresher African broke Oleg Maskaev's resistance, and already in the sixth round, the Nigerian's massive attack almost sent Big O into a knockdown, but the judge fussed and stopped the fight, in which Maskaev, alas, had no chance.
Full name: Oleg Aleksandrovich Maskaev
Date of birth: March 2, 1969
Place of birth: Abai, Kazakhstan
Lives in Saransk (Russia) and West Sacramento (California, USA)
Height: 191 cm
Performed: in the heavy weight category (over 90,892 kg)
Rack: right-hand
