Boxing has lengthy been interested in how unconventional-sized athletes, from the Iranian Hulk to Taishan Dong, navigated their careers within the ring.
WBN seems on the pugilistic fascination with the freakish, which has seen previous anomalies at tremendous heavyweight and giants, persevering with the custom into the exhibition age.
When an ‘Iranian Hulk‘ Sajad Gharibi, entered fight sports activities, he instantly sparked intrigue about what he supplied contained in the squared circle. Gharibi posted a number of photos of a mountain mammoth man who may destroy something in his path. He even joined the ranks of Naked Knuckle Combating after signing a take care of BKFC.
Nonetheless, the reality was that Hulk stood under six toes, and standing subsequent to an actual brute like Martyn Ford, Gharibi appeared like a puny effort of a fighter. All of it led to tears as Gharibi obtained knocked out early in his solely boxing match.
Many anomalies have occurred previously, and a few critically hoped to make it within the sport. In 1935, one European big opened the doorways for others to comply with.
The World’s Tallest Boxers
Gogea Mitu [pictured above on the left], born Dumitru Stefanescu, began the revolution on the skilled facet of the game. Nonetheless listed because the tallest Romanian of all time, Mitu stood between 7ft 4ins [2 meters 23cm] and 8ft 2ins [2 meters 50cm], relying on who you imagine.
Judging by pictures of Mitu, You’d are inclined to lean towards the latter. However when Mitu made his professional debut at 25 in June of 1935, the lanky puncher had already struggled to deal with his progress. Defeating Saverio Grizzo through KO within the first spherical, although, Mitu was off and operating. 4 months later, a second early stoppage victory in his residence nation led to a name from France.
Mitu headed to Paris for what ought to have been the beginning of a profitable spell with the opportunity of an extra journey to America. Sadly, this did not transpire. Regardless of wowing the Parisian followers with a second-round win over Giuseppe Sanga, Mitu would by no means combat once more.
Six months later, Mitu died of problems from tuberculosis at simply 26. Mitu had already laid the groundwork for what was to come back.
The boxing fraternity was already hooked when alongside got here South African George Potgieter. He stood 7ft 2ins and received 11 of 13 bouts [all eleven by KO]. The gravitation in direction of taller rivals grew, significantly in skilled wrestling and different fight sports activities. For years, boxing loved crossovers with fighters from the wrestling and sumo worlds. Muhammad Ali and George Foreman had been simply two of those that competed in exhibitions.
After a lull within the Nineteen Eighties, Mike Tyson took heart stage together with his freakish knockout energy. Sadly for Tyson, the Nineteen Nineties was a breeding floor for taller heavyweights. Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, and brother Vitali took the highest division into a brand new period of tremendous heavyweights.
Daybreak of the super-heavyweight boxer
Within the 2000s, the super-tall pugilist returned as Nikolai Valuev. He was a 7-foot Russian behemoth with unhealthy intentions. Valuev turned professional in 1993 to prompt recognition for his sheer bulk and brute power alone.
A ten-year run towards timid opposition turned Valuev right into a ranked contender at 33-0. It was quickly time to step issues up. By then, the Klitschko brothers held a monopoly over the division. Usually, neither wished to go close to somebody like Valuev, regardless of the actual fact he was now a giant identify in Germany.
Valuev as a substitute solid his path to a WBA ‘common’ title shot. Victories over Larry Donald and Clifford Ettiene helped push his rating. John Ruiz was subsequent up for the largely unrecognized strap. However Valuev broke the mildew by turning into the one fighter seven toes or over to develop into champion of the world.
The run lasted three defenses. The unfancied and significantly shorter Ruslan Chagaev took Nik’s cloak of invincibility through majority choice. Triumphs towards Evander Holyfield in Zurich, Ruiz once more [regaining the title], and Siarhei Liakhovich stored a run on the high. Moreover, the pressure of being a fighter took its toll on Valuev’s appreciable body.
When a tiny [compared to Valuev] former cruiserweight named David Haye got here calling, the writing was already on the wall. It took a much smaller man to show to be the Kryptonite. Coaching regimes had been torture for Valuev by then. After twelve rounds, Valuev succumbed to the big-punching Briton on factors. Wobbled alongside the way in which, it was a exact second for Valuev to name it a day.
Already main the taller man into a brand new period by proving a long-term run within the sport is feasible, Valuev stays a legendary determine amongst extra big heavyweights. In a later shock transfer, Valuev turned a youngsters’s storyteller on TV.
Taishan Dong and Iranian Hulk
Since then, boxing has been craving one other monster. For a short second in 2015, it appeared Chinese language man-mountain Taishan Dong was that man. Signed by Golden Boy Promotions underneath Oscar De La Hoya, Taishan was promoted underneath the ‘The Nice Wall moniker.’
A few KOs in, issues appeared to be going effectively. That was till Taishan started to ship increasingly more punches in every combat. Not completely satisfied that his suspect protection was breached, Taishan give up boxing after six bouts.
For nearly two years, folks have puzzled what occurred to Taishan. In 2017, they obtained their reply. Unsurprisingly, former WWE boss Vince McMahon, the entrepreneur who introduced ‘Andre the Large’ to the fore, was behind it. Dong entered professional wrestling by providing Taishan a spot in WWE Developmental at their Efficiency Middle.
Making an attempt out in October 2017, Taishan was formally signed by WWE in July 2018. He lasted a mere 5 months earlier than leaving WWE voluntarily.
Instagram sensation Iranian Hulk {followed} Taishan’s demise. Judging by his [now confirmed as doctored] posts, he appeared to be an unbelievable specimen.
BKFC boss David Feldman was eager to placed on a minimum of one present that includes Iran’s most-followed weightlifter. Nonetheless, the entire Iranian Hulk story proved to be a sham. He subsequently misplaced his first heavyweight effort badly within the first spherical. Weirdly, he cried to his momma and was scared to face the music after being humbled. All of it added to the fairytale and stored fight followers on the sting of their seats.
We await the subsequent big to take up the game. RIZIN lately signed a seven-foot mountain to compete in its ranks.
Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay. Be taught extra in regards to the creator, skilled boxing author, and World Boxing Information Editor since 2010. Comply with on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
