Alexander Povetkin is a well-known Russian boxer, who during his career managed to become the Olympic champion among amateurs and the world champion among professionals. What is interesting about his biography and personal life of the athlete?
Biography of Povetkin
The future athlete was born on September 2, 1979 in the city of Kursk. From early childhood he began to engage in martial arts. His father, who also engaged in boxing, took him to the karate section with his brother Vladimir.
Then Alexander moved to the wushu and hand-to-hand combat section. But in these martial arts, he did not achieve success. After the collapse of the USSR, Povetkin began boxing, and at age 15 became the winner of the Russian Junior Championship in this sport. True, after a couple of years, he is defeated at the European Championships and slightly suspends his boxing classes. But then he goes into kickboxing and wins the title of European champion in this type of martial arts.
After leaving school, Povetkin graduated from a vocational school in his hometown as a locksmith - driver. And also resumes boxing training.
In 1998, Alexander won the prestigious competitions in Krasnoyarsk and received his first serious fee of 4.5 thousand dollars. Two years later, Povetkin won the Russian boxing championship. He is invited again to the national team. The peak of his amateur boxing career is the 2004 Athens Olympics. In Greece, Alexander wins gold and in a year goes into professionals.
From this moment, Povetkin several times a year holds battles with the most powerful heavyweights in the world. The first duel in the professional ring was Alexander against the German Ali Durmaz and won the second round by knockout. Then there were several victories in fights with John Castle, Chris Byrd, Eddie Chambers and so on.
But all his career Povetkin went to the main battle in his life against Wladimir Klitschko. By that time, the Ukrainian was already the absolute world champion in all versions. The battle took place in 2013. Vladimir had a clear advantage not only in growth, but also in the length of his hands. Nevertheless, we must pay tribute to Alexander. The Russian boxer fought very desperately, but still lost. However, before this fight Povetkin defeated Ruslan Chagaev and received the world title.
Immediately after his first defeat from Klitschko, Alexander decided to change his coaching staff and change the promoter. During this time he won several victories, including over Manuel Charr from Germany, the Pole Mariusz Wach. Everything went on increasing. But in 2016 there was a doping scandal, in the center of which was Povetkin. He was suspended from the competition and excluded from all boxing ratings. At this point, he was the main contender for the fight with Deontay Uyalder for the title of world champion.
A year later, Alexander returned to the ring and won several confident victories. After that, he was again restored in all the top ratings. Now Povetkin is preparing for a fight with Briton Anthony Joshua, who is the world champion in several versions at once. Probably, this will be the last chance of the Russian boxer to declare himself loudly.
