I don’t have any personal opinion on these fighters (except Tszyu who certainly would have been ranked much higher had he stayed amateur) as I haven’t seen them fight but I would like to mention four modern day boxers who for sure could enter the list.The list of ten participants in the (further) text is my own opinion on the matter of best (P4P) boxers from the former Soviet Union, to whose characteristics I added: stylishness and charisma, originality, the amount of realized natural potential and the way that public remembered them.
I also tried to make up the list containing a category of athletes from different decades and generations of Russian boxing history.
1. Valeriy Popenchenko (middleweight) - This fighter might as well be taken for a bright example from my criteria selection. Olympic champion, two time European champion, six fold USSR champion. Owner of the Val Barker Cup for his achievements and as best boxer of the Olympics of 1964 in Tokyo. Acute assault style on the ring, a puncher with multiple combination capabilities and a strong knockout blow.
However his career was not a straight line, his intercontinental challenges were closed at a time when there was strict cultivation of style in the USSR and his performances were judged to be provocative. But with the support of his trainer Kusikjanst he managed to continue his career in his personal manner. His main achievement was at the Olympics in Tokyo were he won a bout with his polish adversary Tadeush Valesek, with a difficult and binding opponent to whom he once lost, Valerie triumphed in the semi-finals.
After conquering all the possible ranks of Soviet sport he chose to leave his sports career for the lack of achievements and stimulis. He died at the age of 37 in a tragic accident.
2. Boris Lagutin (middleweight) -Two time Olympic Champion, Two time European championships winner, six time USSR champion, Bronze on the Olympics.
The only Russian fighter who participated three Olympic games and won in two of them. Distinguished for his rational classic style of boxing, a gentleman in the ring with a strong will for victory and great discipline in training. He was remembered for his confrontations on the Soviet Union competitions with Viktor Ageev, a younger and purely talented boxer.
He may perhaps be the owner of biggest titles, but to my judgments he is in second place for his manner of style being to «much by the book», and his unsettled interests with his rival Viktor Ageev.
3.Vladimir Engibarjan (light welter) - Olympic champion, three time European champion. The forefather and participant of Armenian boxing style. His tactics was a playing performance. A letant lefthander, an elegant and graceful boxer with a great amount of tactical energetic passages, shifts of movement, finds, intricate defense and counterstrikes. The peak of his career was the winning bout in 1956 in Melbourne at the Olympics. Also set out as a referee after. Entered in the first three content for his original unique style of performance and his contribution in developing the distinctive Armenian style.
4. Oleg Grigorjev (lightweight) - Olympic champion, three time Europe champion, six time USSR champion, bronze medal for the European championship. Highly skilled, intellectual style and elegant in the ring. Confident on all distances and tactically advanced. He won the finals on the Olympic games in Italy in a bout with Rome’s favorite and local hero Dzamparini in 1960. At his next Olympics in 1964 in Tokyo he became a victim of the judges controversy in the quarter-final bout with Mendoza an Mexican athlete.
A high grade for his particular score of victories and titles in combination with a special well balanced style of performance.
5. Nikolay Korolev (heavyweight) - He was capable of performing very active being at the same time a powerful heavyweight with knockout blow and good technical and tactical support.
Their bouts with Victor Mihailov in the late 30-ties and Algirdas Shocikasom in the late 40 and in the beginning of the fifties went down in sports history as a very serious confrontation. He was also a nominate for a bout with the worlds champion of the time Joe Louis, but was neglected by the Soviet government.
In the second World War he was a participant in the famous partisan platoon of Dmitry Medvedev. There are quite a few mentionings in Russian literature about the scene where Korolev took out with bare hands a few armed Nazi soldiers and then carried his wounded commander for a long time to shelter. The legendary, charming athlete, a sign of the generation! Placed in history as social epic hero.
6. Viktor Ageev (middleweight) - Might as well be one the most gifted, non–typical boxers in Soviet sports history. His manners on the ring were not standard, if he chose to he could lead the bout with down lowered hands. With his timing capabilities and sense of distance and coordination and natural good speed it was hard to foresee his movement, he could win a bouts with an opened handstand. His talents were giving good profit on the international arena, where he knew no defeat. But his boiling personality was his own worst enemy because of his passion for combat he usually was in trouble with the law, when the lack of discipline gave way in an early stage of his career. He was the Russian terrible boxer!
During his career he twice gave way for performing on the Olympics to his main competitor Boris Lagutin, however their personal fighting records over the years became identical (2:2). His career as an athlete ended untimely, for his behavior was becoming more outrageous ….. Without this talented fighter our list would not be complete, but to our disappointment he did not realize his potential completely.
Right now many people from Russia compare him with Roy Jones jr.
7. Viktor Rybakov (Featherweight) - He was decided to be the best boxer on European championships FOUR times. Studied in «Magadan`s boxing school» from which came the other remarkable fighters Igor Visotsky and Alexander Lebziak. A bright and technical athlete who knew no mysteries on the ring. He gathered the prizes on European championships three times in three different weight categories. However on the Olympic in 1974 in Montreal he had bad luck two times – he lost in the semi finals with the judges equal score of 4-1 in bout to Charles Mooney, an athlete from America, and in 1980 in Moscow to Rudi Fink from East Germany. Among those distinguished athletes of late 70s he was recognized as the most brilliant boxer despite the fact that he didn’t make it to the Olympics, but 4 prizes as best European boxer speak for themselves. He is the boxing idol for Kostya Tszyu.
8. Aleksander Jagubkin (heavyweight) - World champion, three time European champion, fourfold USSR champion, two time World Cup reward owner, absolute champion of USSR. Studied at Donetsk boxing school, he was capable of combining power with high speed and good technique; he was dominant in his weight category on the international ring till the arrival of phenomenal Felix Savon. But his career was also lacked the possibility of participating the Olympics. A blazing and successful boxer from the beginning of 80s who was neglected by the government for political reasons the opportunity to participate at the Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984. The only Russian heavyweight who won in European as in Intercontinental competitions.
9. Dan Pozdnjak (light heavy) - Olympic champion, three time Europe champion, fourfold USSR champion , bronze medallist on European championships. Lithuanian sport schools of boxing participant. Strong willing and constant development in his strategy allowed his career to grow swiftly. Distinguished for his training and athletic abilities, composed and prudent and owner of a crushing right hand blow. All his main achievements were met in an age of maturity despite the fact that at the time USSR amateur league was in a tendency for youthfulness. His potential was realized in the 60s and not that many can compare their achievements with him, but some critics might say that he wasn’t all that blazing among the others athletes.
After ending his boxing career he became a referee. From a whole class of distinguished Lithuanian athletes he was set as the most persistent in achievements and potentially realized boxer.
10. Konstantin Tszyu (light welter) - World champion, two time Europe champion, three fold USSR champion, winner of Goodwill Games. In Europe, he won first prize as the best boxer at the tournament of 1991. His natural talent and technique capabilities made it possible for him to compete for the national USSR team at a very young age. But at the beginning of his sport career he had his sorrow defeats when he lost to Orzubek Nazarov in the finals of USSR Championship in 1988 and his two loses to a German Andreas Zuelow an the Olympics in Seoul in the same year, and World Championships in Moscow in 1989.
But afterwards he managed to regain his authority when he won in a rematch to both his opponents in a rematch. His success is a consequence of unstandard type of performance on the ring, natural timing and distance, a large amount of tactical and technical possibilities, and good powerful blows from a right hand. After his victory on the World Championship in 1991 he made his transmission to the professional league, becoming very successful thanks to his natural talent surpassing all other Soviet athletes. Not long had he been in the amateur league, still as a very talented, unique boxer and a symbol that unites different generations in sports history he is set as the definitive in this list of remarkable Russian boxers.
Alexander Lebziak (light heavy)
2000 Olympic champ, 1997 World champ, 1991 world championships silver, 1998, 2000 European champion, 1993 European champs silver, 1996 European champs bronze, 1987 World junior champion. Powerful technician who never reached the top as a middleweight but when he stepped up to light heavy was almost unbeatable. Is currently the National Headcoach for the Russian National team.
Oleg Saitov (welterweight)
1996, 2000 Olympic champ, 2004 Olympic bronze, 1997 World champ, 1995 World champs silver, 1993 World champ bronze, 1998, 2004 European champ, 1996 European champs bronze, 1992 World junior champ, 1992 European junior champ.
Very fast and slick boxer with no punch who found the way to win many close battles against frustrated opponents. Seemed to be loved by the judges, not so with the boxing audience who used to boo him. Won the Val Barker trophy at the 2000 Olympics.
Alexey Tishenko (featherweight)
2004 Olympic champ, 2005 World champ, 2005 World Cup champ, 2002 World juniors champ, 2000 European Cadets silver
Superb fast paced technician who has dominated his division the last two years. Seems like he can become one of the all time great Russian boxers.
Alexander Povetkin (super heavyweight)
2004 Olympic champ, 2003 World Champ, 2002, 2004 European champ.
Agressive unspectacular powerpuncher who dominated a weak division. Has recently turned pro.