OLEG MASKAEV
Fighter Bio | Fighter Record | Discuss
updated July 26, 2006
The parents of Oleg Maskaev were born in Moscow, USSR and then migrated to Abai, Kazakhstan. Oleg grew up hard, laboring countless hours on the family farm and working under stifling conditions in the coal mines. Later Oleg joined the Russian Army and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He joined the Russian Amateur Boxing Team and became a National Amateur Champion. In a battle of Russian amateur superstars, he stopped Vitali Klitschko in the 1st round.
On February 14, 1995, Oleg came to the United States, which he always viewed as the land of opportunity, a country that represented to him that if you worked hard and sacrificed, you and your family could realize the American Dream filled with hopes and aspirations for a better future.
Up until approximately three years ago Oleg's career could best be described as being one of the most mis-managed fighters in boxing history. In his very first professional bout, they put him in against Alex Miroshinichenko who was undefeated at 20-0...Oleg knocked him out. In his 4th fight they pitted him against the undefeated Robert Hawkins...Oleg knocked him out. In his 5th fight he squared off against top prospect Joe Thomas, 23-1-1, whom Oleg defeated. Believe it or not, in only his 7th fight, when he should have been boxing in 4 or 6 rounders, they put him in with former Heavyweight Champion, Oliver McCall in a scheduled 10 round bout. McCall had already stopped Lennox Lewis and he stopped the 'green' Maskaev.
This was indicative of how his career was being handled. He knocked out Alex Stewart, 41-6, Courage Tshabalala, 23-2, Toakipa Tasefa, 21-1-2, Hasim Rahman, 31-1, and Derrick Jefferson, 22-1. He had peaks and he had valleys. Oleg experienced the thrill of victory and knew only too well, the agony of defeat. He suffered devastating set backs and frustrating disappointments. Fair weather friends deserted him, his promoter released him, and his trainer told him to retire.
This proud father of four questioned if his career was really over and what the future had in store for him and his family. At this gut wrenching low point, a new team entered his life, Promoter Dennis Rappaport, Manager Fred Kesch, Trainer Victor Valle, Jr., Strength Trainer Harrison Skeets, Sports Psychologist Robert Palumbo, and Nutritionist and Flexibility Coach Rusten Val. The improvement Oleg showed under new trainer, Victor Valle, Jr., was nothing less than miraculous. With his new team, there was a new Oleg…a new mindset, hope replaced hopelessness, and a new and stronger confidence emerged with himself and with his team. The wretchedness, havoc, and misery he experienced were becoming a faded memory, replaced with a precious and priceless future. He won his next 10 fights, 8 by knockout, and became the WBC's #1 ranked contender.
Is there any doubt why he is being called boxing's Cinderella story. His adorable 4-year-old daughter, Victoria, was wearing a Cinderella costume when she turned to her father and said 'I'm not really Cinderella, but Daddy, you really are a Cinderella story.'
When he faces Rahman on August 12th, and when his hand is raised in victory, this certainly will be a most happy ending to boxing's Cinderella story of the 21st century.
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