Oleg Maskaev News

Russian president Vladimir Putin granted boxer Oleg Maskaev citizenship Saturday, a day before the heavyweight defends his WBC crown in the first world title bout held in his adopted country. The 37-year-old Maskaev, who was born in Kazakhstan when it was part of the Soviet Union, has lived in the United States for more than a decade and is a U.S. citizen. Russia does not prohibit dual citizenship. Maskaev will be fighting Japan's Peter Okhello in a 12-round ...

The man pedalling the bicycle is hard to ignore: six foot three, 238 pounds, with a physique as hard as the asphalt beneath his wheels. One mile ... two miles ... three miles ... yet few along the way recognize this pale rider. Not that it bothers Oleg Maskaev. ``I'm not going to step outside and shout, `Hey everybody, I'm the champion,''' Maskaev says. ``A couple of my neighbours know. ...

Oleg Maskaev sent Hasim Rahman staggering to the mat, and the Eastern block of title belts was complete. For the first time, all four heavyweight titles belong to fighters from the former Soviet Union. But Maskaev wants his adopted land to look past his accent and his European technical style. This U.S. immigrant feels he's the only American heavyweight champion left. Maskaev stopped Rahman in the 12th round Saturday night ...

Hasim Rahman wrapped himself in the American flag while cameras clicked and his camp cheered. Saturday's WBC title fight against Oleg Maskaev has been turned into a warmed-up Cold War chestnut, and Rahman, the two-time champion, loves his role. As the only American still holding a title at this high-profile, low-esteem division, Rahman sees it as his duty to safeguard a heavyweight belt for the nation that produced the world's ...