The Soviet boxing style has been a steady influence on the sport of boxing for the past few decades, emphasizing fundamentals, endurance, and adaptability.
This article will discuss the strengths and the weaknesses of the Soviet boxing style, as well as share some of boxing’s most celebrated Soviet boxers.
What Is The Soviet Boxing Style?
First, it’s important to remember that the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 into satellite countries, such as Ukraine and Kazakhstan. As these countries formed their own identities, so did the variations of this style.
Keeping that in mind, the typical Soviet Style is famous for its Pendulum Step (staying on the toes, hopping in and out of range), combined with a whip-like jab that can easily turn into a check hook, and a high guard.
Punches draw power from the subtle shifts of body weight from the Pendulum Step, as opposed to sinking the hips down and winding up.
The footwork is exclusively linear and rhythmic, rather than focusing on angles. Fighters hop forward to enter the pocket and hop out to evade attacks. With the rhythm of the Pendulum Step, boxers throw their power punches by using the momentum of their bodies.
Unlike American style boxing, coaches focus on fundamentals and conditioning first before specific skill training. There’s less emphasis on the heavy bag and sparring, and more emphasis on shadowboxing and skipping rope.
When Soviet fighters develop these skills and piece them together, what results is a simple and efficient boxing style that is hard to beat.
Strengths
Soviet style boxers have many strengths.
Their Pendulum Step footwork allows them to move in and out of the pocket. When the right moment comes, they can land combinations.
On the way in, they weave in feints with their rhythm and treat their punches like whips. Their jab can easily turn into a long-range lead hook.
On the way out, they are able to fight and counter off the backfoot.
Their bladed stance presents a smaller target to opponents and allows their jabs to get maximum reach.
Soviet boxers that use the Pendulum Step tend to have stellar conditioning and high endurance, as they are constantly moving.
In all, this style has maximum effectiveness when used by tall boxers with long arms.
Weaknesses
Like all styles, the Soviet style has its weaknesses as well.
Many Soviet boxers would struggle against a pressure fighter who disrupts their rhythm and fights in the pocket.
Because the Pendulum Step doesn’t let Soviet boxers sink their hips down and wind up, their punches will have less power.
Working the Pendulum Step drains a boxer’s energy, especially if their opponent cuts off the ring and lands body shots.
In addition to these weaknesses, this style doesn’t work well for shorter boxers with less reach.
They have to step a greater distance to be in striking range, and hopping backwards won’t take them out of the pocket.
Top Soviet Boxers of All-Time
It’s important to remember that no professional boxer uses the Soviet style all the time, since it’s energy intensive and has a predictable timing. Instead, they use it selectively or mix the style with other influences.
Many of these boxers were born in the Soviet Union and then were raised in satellite states such as Ukraine and Kazakhstan. What we think of the Soviet style doesn’t fully represent the Soviet Union or Russia.
While there are echoes of the Soviet style in professional boxing, the purest examples of Soviet boxing are used by amateurs.
Unlike America, Russia as a state actively participated in amateur recruitment and development.
As a result, the Soviet Union isn’t one of the countries with the most boxing champions.
It’s entirely possible that the greatest boxer of the Soviet boxing style was an Olympic qualifier who never turned professional.
Keeping that in mind, some of the greatest professional Soviet boxers of all-time are:
- Wladimir Klitschko
- Sergey Kovalev
- Oleksandr Usyk
- Dmitry Bivol
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko (along with his brother Vitali) dominated the heavyweight division during what was called the “Klitschko Era”.
Born in the Soviet Union, but raised and trained in Ukraine, he had firsthand experience of the Soviet style and the Pendulum Step. Still, he used the style sparingly as he prioritized his height and reach instead.
Unlike a pure Soviet style, Klitschko customized his bladed stance, abandoning the high guard.
He took advantage of his long reach and kept his jab extended, using it to paw away or fence an opponent instead of using it like a whip. He kept his right hand under his chin, ready to block punches, but also ready to land his own crosses.
This simple and effective fighting style kept him at the top of boxing as world champion.
Sergey Kovalev
Sergey Kovalev is another of the top boxers in the world, earning multiple world championships. Interestingly, he’s the only one on this list who was born in the Soviet Union and then raised in Russia.
In the Russian amateur boxing ring, he got firsthand experience with the Soviet style, finishing his amateur career with a record of 195-18.
In his professional career, you can see shades of the Soviet boxing style. Though most Soviet style boxers use the jab as a whip, instead Kovalev uses his jab as a bludgeon. This made him famous for knocking down multiple opponents with the jab alone.
Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr “The Cat” Usyk is one of the premier boxers today, becoming heavyweight champion in recent years.
Raised in Ukraine, he dominated in the amateurs where the Soviet style was primarily used.
While many heavyweights tend to stay in one place and trade shots, Usyk dances around them, true to his nickname. He mixes his fast reflexes and constant movement with effective pressure and powerful combinations. His light footwork allows him to use the Soviet style easily, hopping in the pocket or fighting off the back foot.
Dmitry Bivol
Dmitry Bivol is the posterchild of the Soviet style today.
Even though he uses the Pendulum Step often, he strikes that rare balance of disciplined and unpredictable.
Bivol uses simple combinations and straight shots, with one of the most accurate jabs and right hands in boxing today.
He uses the Pendulum Step selectively to control the distance. He hops in to attack and backs out to make his opponent overcommit while mixing in jab variations and feints. This is very effective when he traps his opponent in the corner or against the ropes.
Even though he uses the Soviet style as his foundation, he compensates for the style’s weaknesses by having a strong close-range game and great defense against the ropes.
In our opinion, Bivol is one of the modern masters of the sweet science.
Conclusion
The Soviet boxing style continues to have a lasting influence on the sport and its history.
Since the Soviet Union had a long political alliance with Cuba, you can see its influence on Cuban style boxing.
Other boxers that deserve a mention are Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Both were born in the Soviet Union but raised in Kazakhstan and Ukraine respectively. Both have developed unique styles; Golovkin fighting with a forward-stepping Mexican boxing style and Lomachenko fighting like himself.
A common theme with all the boxers mentioned is that they can adapt to any style. One factor that gives Soviet style boxing an edge is that they study American style boxing too. This helps them incorporate those elements into their own style.
To contrast, American boxing gyms don’t bother to study Soviet style boxing. It’s not sexy. Kids would rather emulate Mayweather and his Philly Shell than Bivol and his simple jab-cross combination.
As these boxers continue to forge their unique styles and produce pound-for-pound contenders, perhaps this will change.
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