Alexander Yagubkin
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Birth name | Alexander Gennadiyevich Yagubkin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Ukrainian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Stalino, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union | 25 April 1961|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 7 August 2013 Donetsk, Ukraine | (aged 52)|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Boxing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight class | Heavyweight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Avangard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Alexander Gennadiyevich Yagubkin (25 April 1961 – 7 August 2013) was a Soviet Olympic boxer, who competed between 1979 and 1988. The only Soviet boxer to become the World heavyweight champion (1982), he never turned pro due to political restrictions imposed by the Soviet government. He was ranked the world's #2 amateur heavyweight by the AIBA in 1984,[1] and #1 in 1986.[2]
Early years
Yagubkin was born and grew up in the
Apart from boxing, he was schooling as an
Career
Steve Sneddon of the
As the American professional
But that never happen as the Soviet government dismissed the idea early in 1989, and did not allow the three boxers neither to turn pro, nor to be employed as a sparring partners for the professionals.
Highlights
Friendship Tournament, Yambol, Bulgaria, July 1979:
Feliks Stamm Memorial, Warsaw, Poland , November 1979:
Yokohama, Japan , December 1979:
USSR–USA Duals, Moscow, Russia , January 1980:
Belgrade Open, Belgrade, Yugoslavia , February 1980:
USA–USSR Duals, Las Vegas, Nevada , January 1981:
USA–USSR Duals, Hirsch Coliseum, Shreveport, Louisiana , February 1981:
Tampere, Finland , May 1981:
Montreal, Canada , November 1981:
USSR–USA Duals, Moscow, Russia , January 1982:
Munich, West Germany , May 1982:
Belgrade Open, Belgrade, Yugoslavia , November 1982:
USA–USSR Duals, Las Vegas, Nevada , February 1983:
USA–USSR Duals, Indianapolis, Indiana , March 1983:
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AIBA International Challenge, Reno, Nevada, May 1983:
European Championships, Varna, Bulgaria, May 1983:
Rome, Italy , October 1983:
King's Cup, Bangkok, Thailand , April 1984:
Havana, Cuba , August 1984:
USA–USSR Duals, Sparks Convention Center, Reno, Nevada, January 1985:
Budapest, Hungary , May–June 1985:
Seoul, South Korea , November 1985:
USSR–USA Duals, Moscow, Russia , January 1986:
King's Cup, Bangkok, Thailand , April 1986:
World Championships, Reno, Nevada, May 1986:
Turin, Italy , June 1987:
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Retirement and later life
Despite being one of the world's top heavyweights, Yagubkin, who staunchly represented an essentially provincial sports club on the outskirts, turning down all offers to join highly regarded sports societies, for this and some other purely political reasons never made it to the Soviet Olympic boxing squad on three occasions, in 1980: on the pretext that he was way too young and inexperienced, as he was replaced with Pyotr Zayev (who won the silver), in 1984: he qualified successfully, but the Soviet government boycotted the Olympics,[4] and in 1988: on the pretext that he was too old, as he was replaced with Ramzan Sebiyev (who was dropped out in the preliminaries).[15][16] He retired shortly afterwards. Yagubkin won 9 out of 11 fights versus American boxers during the USA–USSR match-ups.
Honours and awards
- He was honoured as a Master of Sports of the USSR.
- In 1989, Yagubkin was made an honorary citizen of Ecuador for match-up with his former opponent Luis Castillo.
Death
Yagubkin died of heart failure after repeated cardiac arrest (previous heart seizure roughly a month before his death was relatively mild and went unnoticed, he did not pay much attention) on 7 August 2013 in Donetsk, Ukraine.[17]
References
- ^ From Canada, a New Image For Boxing in Willie deWit.
- ^ a b 2 Protests Filed; Bent Scores Upset by Earl Gustkey, The Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1986, p. 6.
- ^ U.S. Boxing Team Rallies for 3-3 Tie in Soviet Tour Final by Earl Gustkey, The Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1984, p. 27.
- ^ a b c d Soviet champ by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, January 25, 1985, p. 21.
- ^ Amateurs by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, March 18, 1983, p. 19.
- ^ They fight for glory, not money by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, May 7, 1986, 3B.
- ^ U.S. vs. Soviets, Reno Gazette-Journal, January 27, 1985, p. 21.
- ^ Soviet heavyweight proves a gracious champion by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, January 25, 1985, p. 19.
- ^ Look for Cuban champ to get revenge by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, March 17, 1983, p. 22.
- ^ Top amateurs fight tonight by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, March 18, 1983, p. 15.
- ^ Bent is still one hungry fighter by Michael Katz, Daily News from New York, April 7, 1988, p. 102.
- ^ You drive to Russia?, The Los Angeles Times, February 26, 1984, p. 87.
- ^ The Soviet Expedition: Diary of US Boxing Tour, The Los Angeles Times, February 26, 1984, p. 12.
- ^ Some Soviets May Be Turning Pro by Earl Gustkey, The Los Angeles Times, February 25, 1989, p. 50.
- ^ Summer games, access, 1988.
- ^ U.S. Boxing by Steve Sneddon, Reno Gazette-Journal, May 22, 1988, 2B.
- ^ Чемпион мира по боксу Александр Ягубкин скончался на 53-м году жизни (in Russian)