By Alexey Sukachev

The fistic game’s heaviest echelons have been screaming about the Russians for the last several years, for anybody who would listen.

Now, the Russians are here and dominant.

Alexander Povetkin is the top threat to unbeaten American heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder. Sergey Kovalev is recognized as the best light heavyweight in the world, as well as the face of the next wave of dominant boxers from Russia. Following in his footsteps is a number of talents from Russia, eagerly waiting for their own chances at a major shot.

Stuck in between are cruiserweights, representatives of the boxing’s rogue division. Two of the four major world titles belong to Denis Lebedev and Grigory Drozd, while Murat Gassiev, Rakhim Chakhkiev and Dmitry Kudryashov are all in vicinity of their own next title shots.

Lost in the pool are some prospects not to be overlooked. Alexey Zubov (10-0, 6 KOs) is among those who stands out from the rest of the field.

Rarely seen is a fighter with higher education and profound mathematical background. Zubov is just the case.  In his 10 fight career, the 29-year old cruiserweight packed impressive wins on both sides of the ocean, his first five fights staged in the United States before returning to Russia for an impressive and busy 2015 campaign.

“Many fighters are known to come right out of ghettos, tough neighborhoods and from streets, sometimes even nursed by them”, admits Zubov. “I’m different, to tell the truth. I have never ever been involved in serious fighting as a youth. I know boxers who were matured by bad surroundings but I’m not into it.

“My love for the sports is what it is – love for the sport. I tried a number of sports before coming into boxing at the age of 13. My goal is well, to prove I’m the best in the world”.

Zubov was born and raised in Magnitogorsk, a virtual twin city of Youngstown, Ohio – a city of metallurgists. In any case, his choosing boxing was hardly common for his corner of the world.

Magnitogorsk is by far better known for its ice hockey team and its stars – including Evgueny Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders’ Nikolay Kulemin.

“Hockey is my passion,” Zubov reveals. “I like football too but I just naturally cannot watch the local championship. The ice hockey is different, which is obvious for a lad from such a city. Actually, I don’t know such stars as Malkin or Kulemin in person but Evgueny Biryukov, one of the team’s best defensemen, is my man.

“However, as I said before, unlike a majority of sportsmen, I wasn’t studying at the specifically designated school. In fact, I studied in a special school but it was all about physics and mathematics. Then I entered Magnitogorsk State Technical University and I graduated with a diploma as a builder”.

His amateur career was developing at the very same time. As an amateur, Zubov had two wins over Russian elite super heavyweight Magomed Omarov. He also scored sound victories in prestigious national tourneys and several international titles, including some in Europe around the world.

Still, something was missing even despite a fact that Zubov was approaching the national team and won Russian police championship in 2010.

“It hasn’t been a lucky journey all in all I think. At one moment I felt ready to change my whereabouts, and that’s why I chose not to go on with my unpaid career and to turn pro”, says Zubov.

He chose the path of his former teammates Kovalev and former featherweight titlist Evgueny Gradovich but signed with manager Leo Korolinskiy and then with Salita Promotions, an operation in New York City headed by former contender-turned-promoter Dmitry Salita.

“I have firstly signed with my manager, then Salita Promotions took a notice. I spoke with Dima when he still was an active fighter, and I’ve understood that our opinions, our points of view mostly coincided. That was the main reason to start with Salita and his team,” continues Zubov.

The Russian fought a total of five fights in the States – all in 2014 - before coming back in Russian for five more in 2014 and 2015.

“Actually, Russia has some of the best Cruiserweights in the world,” acknowledges Zubov. “I wanted to come back and fight the best available opponents that some other prospects didn’t want to fight. I want to be ready for the top level and I know I may have to come back to Russia for a big fight opportunity in the future.”

A key part of preparing for the best includes plans to train in the United States. Zubov will be working with Javan “Sugar” Hill at the famed Kronk boxing gym in Detroit. Hill is the nephew of Kronk founder, the legendary Emanuel Steward and also head trainer for World light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson, super middleweight contenders Andre and Anthony Dirrell, among other top fighters. 

“I have to admit I’m not considering my career to be local, I’m aiming at making myself known in the USA,” Zubov insists. “Training facilities and opportunities there are top level, and I wish to continue my career in the United States.”

Zubov’s stateside resume was quite impressive: five wins, four of which came by way of knockout. The only one to go the distance was veteran boxer Harvey Jolly (14-20-1, 7 KOs), whom Zubov considers to be his toughest opponent to this date.