[Frank Butcher]

Anyone know anything about Pro-Boxing in Russia and the former countries of the U.S.S.R.
I just want to know who where the first fighters to turn pro and when.Also has Russia and the other eatrn european counties ever had any big title fights as it seems Germany seems to hold them all.

[GlassJaw]

Best cut that shit out.

[Frank Butcher]

But i don't know.

[Frank Butcher]

Wheres Kid McCoy when you need him.

[Shizzy]

I'd like to know the history also.

[Shawn Hawk]

There isn't much because Soviet fighters weren't allowed to fight as professionals during the days of communism.

If all those allegedly very good soviet fighters were allowed to compete as professionals, the history of boxing would be very different.

[ATTILA the HUN]

Sergei Artemiev was in the first wave in the late 80's.
He was the best of the lot.
He was a lightweight that unfortunatly recieved head trauma in a fight where he did not look himself from the get go.
I have some of his fights on tape.
He was an excellant fighter. His bout with Ray Olivera was great.

[Sharkey]

Offhand, Kid Kaplan & Newsboy Brown come to mind as a couple of prominant Russian born fighters from around the quarter mark of the last century.