The names of outstanding athletes are stored in books, archives and fans' memory for a long time. Repeated champion of Europe and the Olympic Games, the Soviet boxer Valery Popenchenko remains a role model for young fighters in the ring.
Harsh childhood
Valery Vladimirovich Popenchenko was born on August 26, 1937 in an ordinary Soviet family. Parents lived on the outskirts of Moscow. The child was no different from other children with whom he talked on the street. When the Great Patriotic War began, his father went to the front and died the death of the brave. Mother had to raise her son alone. She worked in several places to dress and feed the boy. On the recommendation of the military commissariat, the teenager was accepted for education at the Tashkent Suvorov School.
The twelve-year-old pupil liked the strict schedule of the school. Valery eagerly mastered general educational disciplines, studied military affairs and went in for sports. Almost all Suvorov residents sought to get into the boxing section. Among others, training attended and Popenchenko. Just a couple of months later, he began to stand out among his peers. And then the coach began to deal with him on an individual program.
In the "big ring"
At first, the coach had to make a lot of efforts to instill in Valery a simple concept: boxing is not a fight. The fact is that the manner of conducting a duel in the ring distinguished the boxer from all the other fighters. He boxed in an open rack, not really worrying about protection. For this feature Popenchenko received comments from the coach and tangible lessons from rivals. Over time, he mastered the optimal battle technique, which allowed him to achieve excellent results.
Valery's sports career began in 1955, when he won first place in the championship of the Soviet Union among young men. In the same year, after graduating from college with a gold medal, he moved to Leningrad. Here he entered the famous Naval Engineering College and began to train under the guidance of an experienced mentor. In 1960 he graduated and won the USSR Championship. Then five times confirmed this title. Three years later became the champion of Europe.
