I saw him on TV for the first time at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. He was practically the man who made me love boxing, what a shame it ended up like this.
@@mac4060He received the first group of disability. In 1995, he underwent a skull trepanning operation. He died on January 27, 1996, in his 44th year of life from progressive brain atrophy.
I have seen many of his fights up close. You could not SEE his punch - only in slow motion, as in this video. It looked like he just touched his opponent, and the opponent falls asleep, like from an electric shot. It was a Great Mystery for many years for all boxers and public. Never, ever, I have seen such mysterious boxer.
@@Mans785 This guy knock down Marvin Johnson as if he was a ragdoll. And then he kept punishing him with sniper hands until ref had to stop it. Are you blind?
There is also another film about yet another phenomenal middleweight from Russia, who came a little before Lemeshev... "Mister Knockout" (2022) is about Valeri Vladimirovich Popenchenko, who won 200 out of 213 bouts; also winning an Olympic gold medal in 1964 and European titles in 1963 and 1965.
@@Karl.Leiserbach Less padding wouldn't produce a knock out. Just more cuts and bruises. A person gets knocked out when the their brain suffers a concussion. Heavier gloves are more likely to have that effect.
It's the one's you don't see that have the most profound effect. He was excellent at launching that right like a sniper in the brush. His opponents do not see any signs of the punch coming so they are always unprepared to be struck and left reeling. Masterful display.
True. Lots of fighters try to maul & slam their opponents with little precision. That can work, but if your opponent sees your shots coming & can brace themselves and block your punches, they can survive. Sometimes it's the sneaky, speedy, pinpoint shots that get you. Body shots too. See De La Hoya vs. Hopkins. Or Mike McCallum's greatest hits.
We met in 1970 in Belgrade. Hi bit me. Actually my coach trough the towel. Four days later my appendices bursted form a punch he delivered. He did not use only direct. It was an upercut.That was the end of my boxing. We did not know who he was. He was a kid as myself.
@@coachingconfidant2785 Is it overrated? It's harder to score knockouts in the Amateurs do to bigger gloves and 3 round fights. What would his knockout% rise to if he was fighting in 8 ounce gloves and had 10 to 12 rounds to land a clean right hand. Tommy Hearns wasn't a puncher at all in the Amateurs.
I used to throw this punch sometimes in sparring. A "right jab" if you will, from the orthodox stance. Don't wind up. Don't load up. Don't even necessarily jab first. You wait 'till your opponent's chin is there, then turn the right hand over, straight as an arrow, and FAST. You want to hit them right on the point of the chin, when their skull has nowhere to turn. When you get everything working together, it's a great shot: Your right foot planted, right hip turned, right shoulder, elbow & wrist aligned, SNAP.
Those who box know. I used to love when morons would lunge at me and id just duck to my waist wind up boom left hook ti the liver.i used to hate getting into street fights but when ever i did i made sure to keep them looking pretty (never was a head hunter) Not to mention you can easily hurt your hand by punching a thick skull . Always told people "You do realise boxers use gloves to protect their hands right" But most think is to soften the hits but its actualy the same thing
Thank you for posting this video. We in the West never got to know of these amazing boxers. The Soviet Union produced some of the best boxers ever seen. I for one would like to learn more about them.
None of those soviet boxers were the quality and talent of Ali, Tyson Leonard, Canelo, Dempsey, Ray Robinson, Marciano, Rigondeaux, Inoue, Roy Jones jr, Pacquiao, Chavez, Floyd, Foreman, Loma, De La hoya, Cotto, etc etc etc.
at age 28 I left boxing because of suspected neurological issues and I went through a brief stint with alcohol. Fortunately it didn't last long but at the time it was a great way to escape reality. I stopped alcohol altogether, went back to school, and today at 36 work in IT with a good job. I still train and am about the same weight as my competition days, but no sparring. I help people at thee gym (I'm a southpaw so I give them some tips in fighting one) and honestly am happy doing that. But its easy to see how alcohol can pull you down, I'm glad at that crossroad I took the right path.
Well done brother. drink has a grip on some of us so toxic, it becomes a pattern where we drink while willfully, and blindly, ignoring that toxicity. Sounds like you're connected to people and doing well. Thanks for sharing
Congratulations on your win over alcohol.Im a career for a alcoholic and this person also has a brain acquired injury from a car accident.At present we are four months dry again but when alcohol comes into the mix life becomes extremely difficult.After twenty years now I'll keep on supporting as best I can.So keep up the good work and remember you are not alone were drink is concerned.
We found DRAGO, his accuracy, his timing, counter punch were perfect.. the man was tsken to early and wouldve been Champ.. he was a he deserved to be recognized a long time ago but Rest in Paradise
his accuracy is great.... short punches, uses body length to bob in and out the pocket,,, punches down with leverage on the chin with amazing success... puts your chin in your neck fast... awesome technique.
This is what Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do, or "the art of the intercepting fist" was all about. Intercepting the opponent's movement as he moves towards you. In that exact moment of attack while transferring weight, the momentum of the attacker renders him defenseless. It all happens in a split second. If a fighter is skilled enough and can hold his head cool, he can make use of that split second opening with precision and speed. This method is also used in Aikido sword fighting and was practiced by the old samurai. They would meditate before a battle to put their mind in a "zero" state. From that state there was no fear or planning or thought of consequence. There was just a heightened sense of attention and room only for spontaneous pure action and reaction. This fighter somehow stumbled upon this secret, or he had a natural aptitude for it. (I doubt that this method can be taught. I think one requires a special mindset and personality for it). You can tell he doesn't waste energy dancing around doing 5 different techniques and doesn't fill his head with strategies. He just stands ready and waits for that moment to happen. It is quite beautiful in its simplicity actually and quite fascinating to watch in action.
french here,when i was young and training at the boxing club of my city,i ask to my coach who is this boxer on the poster in his office? he said a russian the best ever,many years after i knew it was lemeshev...
It's not disimilar to Ali's "phantom" punch on Liston. Each of his KOs are walked onto by his opponents weight. He appears to use his opponents forward motion and his own speed and accuracy in tandem to create the impact
There is a sweet spot on the chin. If hit with the knuckle correctly, the head snaps back and it's lights out. A very hard punch to pull off but this guy did it so easily.
Very sad story. A super talented individual who fell into the grip of alcoholism, a grip very very few ever escape from. I vaguely recall him during the '72 games. Unfortunately, he did not get any airtime on US television.
if you want to read about the tragedy of alcoholism in boxing, and its effect on an individual and those who are closest to them, i recommend they read “The Benny Lynch Story” UKs best kept boxing secret. a native of the slums of Glasgow known as the gorbals, Lynch was considered by many to be the best pound for pound boxer ever, his full story shows a mesmeric rise to the top, becoming undisputed world champion, which he successfully defended several times, then alcoholism took hold, and his slide to the bottom was equally as tragic and complete as his rise to the top, becoming undisputed world champion had been euphoric. he predicted his own death, went from a young talented boxer to undisputed world champ,to penniless and found dead in the gutter at the time of his death, Benny Lynch only 34 years old.
No recordaba a este boxer pero es el típico boxeo de la unión soviética, el directo de izquierda constante para impedir la visión del contrario y esperar la oportunidad de golpear cuando tus golpes se vean y procurar que no te den golpes y si te golpean que se vea lo menos posible
Exactly what I saw. His punch placement was exactly where it needed to be. Ali's "phantom" punch against Sonny Liston in their rematch may have been the same thing. Ali was not a power puncher and he, himself, said he was not powerful. But put it in exactly the right spot and you don't need great power.
Ali “Get up and fight, nobody will believe this” never duplicated that one punch KO,. This dude WAS a power puncher, the fact that he made it look so easy with a short punch time after time after time!
0:12 - That is impressive young. Still, "Big" George Foreman was just 19 year young with a short amature career when he won Olympic gold medal in 1968 OG in Mexico. Still record for youngest gold medalist in Heavyweight class. Well just like with Teofilo Stevenson, it is a great shame we never saw Vyacheslav Lemeshev become professional and go for the top!
Much easier to do in Heavyweight, after all there is less big man and there is also less athletic big men, deontay wilder got a bronze medal after starting boxing at 20+ yrs old, that doesn’t happen in other weight classes.
good reaction time but overrated power soviet propaganda he only knocked out 38.4% of his opponents@@TheEyeBall333. George hit much harder than this guy
A true legend in the sport of boxing. I celebrate him each time I see a young boxer excel in the sport. Down the road, when I see him there, he will be on my team, Trust ❤
I wonder if his phenom ability was due to the perfect storm of genetic luck: a combination of dense bones, also, where his muscles, ligaments and tendons all attached to the bones made a perfect lever for rapid acceleration, so his acceleration of his fist was profound, and that coupled with above average reflexes, hand to eye coordination, and then how he was tought also to throw a good punch. and finally he had a sort of 'xray vision' to have a good idea of a precise location where a punch would inflict the most stunning shock to his adversary nervous system. Force = mass times acceleration, acceleration being the most important variable, also the reflexes to get that force to the perfect spot. What an interesting story.
Alcohol is very dangerous. I’ve learned to stay away from it when I start a pattern of drinking too many weekends. Used to be completely dry but here or there is ok. Just not every week.
Well, he was a white, strong, russian, hetero man. So, I would say there's a -1000/100% of chances they would make a film film about him. That said, I would love to watch a film on him. Maybe there's a russian's one?
A city can spend hundreds of millions -- even billions -- just to attract a single Olympic Games. But no one set up a fund to help Olympic medal winners who fall on hard times, become injured or infirm. Shame that never made it into anyone's list of priorities.
I hoped, that this year WTA/ATP/ITF, would stop this nonsense of mixing sport with politics. Every player should have right to play under her/his country's flag. One cannot choose the country of one's birth. Appointing "flag police" at the AO 2023 was not even childish... it was embarrassing and insane... Wars are run by politicians not sportsmen/sportswomen. Why during the invasion of Iraq, 20 year bombing of Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Pakistan not to mention the genocidal Vietnam war US, Australian, UK... athletes were allowed to compete under their national flag? USA invaded Iraq in 2003 and yet their flag was still allowed at the World Cup 2006 in Germany and 2010 in South Africa despite the fact they were still in Iraq. Either ban ALL flags of countries who go to war, or don't ban any of them. Interestingly enough Israeli tennis players Mika Buchnik and Guy Sasson are allowed to play under the national flag in AO 2024 despite the policy of their government towards Palestinians in Gaza. *** All wars are equal, but some wars are more equal than others. Karma caught up with idiotic politicization of sport by self-righteous Western democracies. Three tennis players representing "authoritarian/ totalitarian regimes" - archenemies of so called collective West (America and it's geopolitical European vassals) play in the final of the lucrative sport. AO organisers and administrators and ATP/WTA bureaucrats dreaded that scenario. Now with the fake smiles and insincere congratulatory speeches they have to hand over the prestigious trophies and... fat cheques to the Russian and Chinese players.
Man all that shit been here, there were generations and generations way before any of us so you can't say who invented what besides, original people were here before anyone. I can tell who's brainwashed from the comments y'all make. Get real, think for a minute
I know you're going to get a lot of armchair tossers on here judging harshly by "modern standards" but I've been around boxing for a long time, and this bloke found new ways to knock men out that I haven't seen, before or since. RJJ came closest.
"Armchair Tossers" I love it! Far too many of them around these days, so-called experts who have never faced up to the hard stuff - from our recent Prime Ministers downwards. In the White corner, waving a white flag - it's Rishi Sunak!
Becausee way bck then I was also a boxer, a good-looking guy who hardy ever got hit. I still am good looking, or so the ladies tell me. Try positioning, timing, defence, and a brain. @user-gs3tq6bx2u
Great documentary. Great testament to his talent and training, great example of how hard it is to be mentally prepared for greatness in both life and sport.
Good fighter! It's simple physics; a straight line is the shortest path to a target. So, ofcourse, his straight right will get there before a hook from an opponent. The coach overlooked one glaring flaw Lemeshev had: he stood upright, which means that he is very susceptible to hooks and overhead right-hands. This doesn't take away from Lemeshev accomplishments but if he used that style today, he will be knocked out fairly quickly.
The kid was only 20 at the time! He would probaply have adjusted in the pro's! But great fighters once they would get down on a rijgt hand like that! They would have adjusted and probaply get the russian out of there and avoided the right like the plaque
I will always remember Tom Brady's comment when a reporter was asking about bad injuries in football and what he thought about the tragedies in pro football like Junior Seau. I think Tom said, "We all meet a tragic end".
Sounds like this guy was the Jaco Pastorius of boxing. (Pastorius was one of the most talented bass players of all time, if not the most as well as one of the most influential. But alcoholism and a crappy lifestyle led to him dying broke, young and broken. From roughly the same time period as well)
My god the power of those punches!!! He's like the Soviet version of Hitman Hearns! Also very good technique with that rear hand, that's the short cross for you if you get the timing right.
@@GlenRoss-ug5jm probably not because ivan drago was originally gonna be a big hairy russian bear looking guy the ivan we know now wasn't thought of yet until dulph lundregen joined the movie
It would have been interesting to see his pro career - but he was still human and lost to some of the top ranked guys including Johnson. Dont forget Marvin went to the USSR and beat Lemeshev - an unheard feat at the time. And while Marvin translated well into professional ranks, as a benchmark Spinks (76 middleweight gold medal winner) made short work of Johnson sparking him out in 4 rounds on the pros. Marvin would defend a vacant WBO belt once but still an incredible fighter. As for lemeshev, I absolutely love the Russian style - imo it’s the most aesthetically pleasing. He was quintessential Soviet boxing. lemeshev was truly gifted in the art of counterpunching . That’s not remotely in doubt. BUT he also was never in front of any big names in a pro fight. With his injured dominant hand, it was all over unfortunately. I’m sure he would have translated well barring his struggles personally.
Lemeshev TKO'd Johnson in 2 in the rematch and went on to beat Spinks as well. He certainly was better than both as an amateur so he could well have gone on to do that as a pro. But the drink got to him first.
He actually parries really well and sneaks that cross in with good timing…his jab is either searching for the dudes head or the lead jab of the opponent constantly pushing and parrying it down… it tires you out through the fight
he stood as a testament to skill, determination, and an unyielding spirit. A truly remarkable force in the ring, he demonstrated the art of combat with finesse and prowess. His legacy echoes the tales of triumph and battles won. Yet, in the world of pugilism, there's always a sense of the unknown, a hypothetical match that never came to be. He was a very good fighter, no doubt, but like any narrative of greatness, there's the 'what if.' What if he had lived long enough to face another Buster Douglas? Just ask Mike Tyson.
I know his secret. Its pure technique. Bruce Lee said it best. Practice one thing a thousand times. The secret is no elbow flare. That puts so much power into a straight right its ungoldly.
Imagine if someone got him to defect to Canada or the U.S? This guy might have been one of the most devastating pro boxers in history with he right medical care and lifestyle.
nah that's a myth good reaction time but overrated power soviet propaganda he only knocked out 38.4% of his opponents. There's at least 100 boxers better than him
@@coachingconfidant2785 Tyson defeated many who were taller with a longer reach, Lemeshev would not have beaten Tyson. Tyson was too aggressive to allow some one like Lemeshev to get his shots in. Thanks for the video.
Even well into the 80s, life was miserable for the family of the defector. You want your elderly parents sent to a gulag in Siberia so you can make a few bucks?
@@seltonk5136 ideally, he would have gotten his family out when he defected if possible. It was an ideal scenario, not necessarily a realistic one. I'm disappointed that I'd even have to explain that.
I am very grateful to you for paying tribute to our athlete. Thank you very much.♥
sad, if he was in the USA, he would have more medical help!
I saw him on TV for the first time at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. He was practically the man who made me love boxing, what a shame it ended up like this.
How did he die?
@@mac4060He received the first group of disability. In 1995, he underwent a skull trepanning operation.
He died on January 27, 1996, in his 44th year of life from progressive brain atrophy.
@@nadulbai-konur9117 damn. What a tragic lost. I didn't know about him but seemed to be a legend
When you fight Nobody
democrat party of USA killed him, because they preach whites cannot box
Sad story. This video honour him. A great tribute to a World Class Champion. My respect.
I have seen many of his fights up close. You could not SEE his punch - only in slow motion, as in this video. It looked like he just touched his opponent, and the opponent falls asleep, like from an electric shot. It was a Great Mystery for many years for all boxers and public. Never, ever, I have seen such mysterious boxer.
Il avait un fer à cheval dans le gant.
c'est possible , comme carlos monzon , une fraude .@@moudugenou3492
@@moudugenou3492haha, I was expecting that they’d find powdered lead.
@@moudugenou3492
there are some still happening like Fedor Emelianenko vs Andrei Arlovski you can not see the strike
This guy doesn't knock you out. He just presses your off switch.
😂
So he is a knock off?
he goes "click"
speed kills! Energy is proportional to the square of the speed
Just discovered this guy. Best counter-puncher I've ever seen. They would throw a punch at him and before it landed he clobbered them.
Good Joke
No, no he's right. That right straight counter is lethal
It's almost as if he put nitrous oxide on his glove.
@@Mans785 This guy knock down Marvin Johnson as if he was a ragdoll. And then he kept punishing him with sniper hands until ref had to stop it. Are you blind?
@@johnjeffreys6440bro so salty
He's not the first or the last supertalented boxer that found life outside the ring tougher.
I am not a number i am a free man !
You're right. That's true even for not so much supertalented boxers who went number 1.
But he’s the one we’ve all come to see here.
True. Ego is the bane of humankind.
Anybody that persistent, doesn't know anything else. Very SAD
There's a whole series about this mans life, it's super awesome!
It's called "One Punch Man".
There is also another film about yet another phenomenal middleweight from Russia, who came a little before Lemeshev...
"Mister Knockout" (2022) is about Valeri Vladimirovich Popenchenko, who won 200 out of 213 bouts; also winning an Olympic gold medal in 1964 and European titles in 1963 and 1965.
The anime or one punch man a documentary about this man?
100 pushups everyday is the training regime.
@@kaibotski4939 +100 situps
Those reflexes knockouts were amazing...USSR produced some incredible athletes!!
Absolutely amazing timing. His opponents were all coming on to the shot, so it looked like nothing but had a devastating effect.
IKR? one was so quick and smooth I had to rewind to see it
Padding removed from his gloves? Fixed fight?
@@Karl.Leiserbach Less padding wouldn't produce a knock out. Just more cuts and bruises. A person gets knocked out when the their brain suffers a concussion. Heavier gloves are more likely to have that effect.
Ya, it's almost as if he had nitrous oxide on his glove.
The dude beat Johnson and the Spinks Jinx… gotta be seriously talented to beat those studs.
Had never heard of the guy, what a talent but what a tragedy.
Yes, ... those mustaches did absolutely not helped him at alll , but rather the opposite ... too bad 😞
It's the one's you don't see that have the most profound effect. He was excellent at launching that right like a sniper in the brush. His opponents do not see any signs of the punch coming so they are always unprepared to be struck and left reeling. Masterful display.
a sniper in the brush. How amazing!
Yes, no telegraphing.
True. Lots of fighters try to maul & slam their opponents with little precision. That can work, but if your opponent sees your shots coming & can brace themselves and block your punches, they can survive. Sometimes it's the sneaky, speedy, pinpoint shots that get you. Body shots too. See De La Hoya vs. Hopkins. Or Mike McCallum's greatest hits.
No doubt. He's like the cobra subconsciously picking his shot and never missing.
As my Grandpa always used to say...
"Sometimes the greatest ones are those you don't hear about"
We met in 1970 in Belgrade. Hi bit me. Actually my coach trough the towel. Four days later my appendices bursted form a punch he delivered. He did not use only direct. It was an upercut.That was the end of my boxing. We did not know who he was. He was a kid as myself.
Did you inspect his gloves? If you remove the padding or add some gypsum, you can kill a person in a ring.
@@travelersimports6915какое милое обвинение
@voya8480 I think you mean "He beat me." At least, I hope that's what you mean.
@@vestibulate italia vs eatalia is what i mean or meen. Get lost with your stupidity
@@vestibulate It wasn't Mike Tyson.
In awe of his right hand, his record and in mourning of his struggles and consequent demise. Rest in peace.
good reaction time but overrated power soviet propaganda he only knocked out 38.4% of his opponents
He was methed up!
@mattb7281 You are a special type of stupid huh.
@@coachingconfidant2785 Is it overrated? It's harder to score knockouts in the Amateurs do to bigger gloves and 3 round fights.
What would his knockout% rise to if he was fighting in 8 ounce gloves and had 10 to 12 rounds to land a clean right hand.
Tommy Hearns wasn't a puncher at all in the Amateurs.
Thatr would make your parents Champions of the world then lol, I mean you were born.@@FMP-ue6xd
I used to throw this punch sometimes in sparring. A "right jab" if you will, from the orthodox stance. Don't wind up. Don't load up. Don't even necessarily jab first. You wait 'till your opponent's chin is there, then turn the right hand over, straight as an arrow, and FAST. You want to hit them right on the point of the chin, when their skull has nowhere to turn. When you get everything working together, it's a great shot: Your right foot planted, right hip turned, right shoulder, elbow & wrist aligned, SNAP.
Boom! night night!
Those who box know.
I used to love when morons would lunge at me and id just duck to my waist wind up boom left hook ti the liver.i used to hate getting into street fights but when ever i did i made sure to keep them looking pretty (never was a head hunter)
Not to mention you can easily hurt your hand by punching a thick skull .
Always told people
"You do realise boxers use gloves to protect their hands right"
But most think is to soften the hits but its actualy the same thing
DOWN THEY GO!! 🥊🥊
@@USAAMERICAFUCKYEAH77 My trainer always told me "One to the body's worth 10 to the head."
you perfectly described a karate punch
Thank you for posting this video. We in the West never got to know of these amazing boxers. The Soviet Union produced some of the best boxers ever seen. I for one would like to learn more about them.
None of those soviet boxers were the quality and talent of Ali, Tyson Leonard, Canelo, Dempsey, Ray Robinson, Marciano, Rigondeaux, Inoue, Roy Jones jr, Pacquiao, Chavez, Floyd, Foreman, Loma, De La hoya, Cotto, etc etc etc.
@@Mars-lp8ydSo Miguel Cotto was better than any Soviet boxer who ever lived hahaha.
He looks like a librarian,but that dude was one tough SOB
PED
@@Mars-lp8yd That's why Dmitry Bivol beat your Canelo with his Soviet style. Shut up.
at age 28 I left boxing because of suspected neurological issues and I went through a brief stint with alcohol. Fortunately it didn't last long but at the time it was a great way to escape reality. I stopped alcohol altogether, went back to school, and today at 36 work in IT with a good job. I still train and am about the same weight as my competition days, but no sparring. I help people at thee gym (I'm a southpaw so I give them some tips in fighting one) and honestly am happy doing that. But its easy to see how alcohol can pull you down, I'm glad at that crossroad I took the right path.
Good man, yes so many boxers went down that road.
Well done brother. drink has a grip on some of us so toxic, it becomes a pattern where we drink while willfully, and blindly, ignoring that toxicity. Sounds like you're connected to people and doing well. Thanks for sharing
@@Kajpaje thank you very much, very nice of you to take the time to write this
It is not just about boxing. It is about being popular and fail to manage your success/popularity
Congratulations on your win over alcohol.Im a career for a alcoholic and this person also has a brain acquired injury from a car accident.At present we are four months dry again but when alcohol comes into the mix life becomes extremely difficult.After twenty years now I'll keep on supporting as best I can.So keep up the good work and remember you are not alone were drink is concerned.
Me and my father watched him and enjoyed his peculiar style. It was interesting to watch him.
We found DRAGO, his accuracy, his timing, counter punch were perfect.. the man was tsken to early and wouldve been Champ.. he was a he deserved to be recognized a long time ago but Rest in Paradise
And the sharp parry with the left?
Always there. Phenomenal
his accuracy is great....
short punches, uses body length to bob in and out the pocket,,, punches down with leverage on the chin with amazing success... puts your chin in your neck fast... awesome technique.
Looked effortless.
What a talent.
Exactly what I thought. Just made it look like fighting is easy. That's the sign of pure, natural talent.
This is what Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do, or "the art of the intercepting fist" was all about. Intercepting the opponent's movement as he moves towards you. In that exact moment of attack while transferring weight, the momentum of the attacker renders him defenseless. It all happens in a split second. If a fighter is skilled enough and can hold his head cool, he can make use of that split second opening with precision and speed.
This method is also used in Aikido sword fighting and was practiced by the old samurai. They would meditate before a battle to put their mind in a "zero" state. From that state there was no fear or planning or thought of consequence. There was just a heightened sense of attention and room only for spontaneous pure action and reaction.
This fighter somehow stumbled upon this secret, or he had a natural aptitude for it. (I doubt that this method can be taught. I think one requires a special mindset and personality for it). You can tell he doesn't waste energy dancing around doing 5 different techniques and doesn't fill his head with strategies. He just stands ready and waits for that moment to happen.
It is quite beautiful in its simplicity actually and quite fascinating to watch in action.
Well said
Wise words.
Fantastic analysis.
You're right. It looks completely effortless, calm almost.
@@qht67mkh Yes, he looks very calm and emotionally detached. I don't think you can do what he does if you are emotionally invested.
How is it that I'm 54 years old and I've never heard of this guy.
Wow
I am the same age and never seen him either. Soviet sports academies were brutal. Bad hands are a thing in boxing, very painful for many boxers.
Parallel universe
Es ruso por eso ... víctima de la rusofobia.
Same for a 52 year old
i saw him ringside and his moves were pure ballet.....only Ali was a dancer like him....RIP☦
french here,when i was young and training at the boxing club of my city,i ask to my coach who is this boxer on the poster in his office? he said a russian the best ever,many years after i knew it was lemeshev...
A true hidden gem in the world of sports that I appreciate seeing!
It's not disimilar to Ali's "phantom" punch on Liston. Each of his KOs are walked onto by his opponents weight. He appears to use his opponents forward motion and his own speed and accuracy in tandem to create the impact
Except these punches are real
that's how you do real damage when your structure is strong, and your timing is exceptional.
There is a sweet spot on the chin. If hit with the knuckle correctly, the head snaps back and it's lights out. A very hard punch to pull off but this guy did it so easily.
But he was fighting BUMS.
Ali vs Liston was a fix
Very sad story. A super talented individual who fell into the grip of alcoholism, a grip very very few ever escape from. I vaguely recall him during the '72 games. Unfortunately, he did not get any airtime on US television.
WHICH?
Which is worse, Alcoholism or Communism?
So basically his life ended like every other Russian man ever
@@buddysilver5788 Alcoholism is a brutal death you dolt
if you want to read about the tragedy of alcoholism in boxing, and its effect on an individual and those who are closest to them, i recommend they read “The Benny Lynch Story” UKs best kept boxing secret. a native of the slums of Glasgow known as the gorbals, Lynch was
considered by many to be the best pound for pound boxer ever,
his full story shows a mesmeric rise to the top, becoming undisputed world champion, which he successfully defended several times, then alcoholism took hold, and his slide to the bottom was equally as tragic and complete as his rise to the top, becoming undisputed world champion had been euphoric.
he predicted his own death, went from a young talented boxer to undisputed world champ,to penniless and found dead in the gutter at the time of his death, Benny Lynch only 34 years old.
No recordaba a este boxer pero es el típico boxeo de la unión soviética, el directo de izquierda constante para impedir la visión del contrario y esperar la oportunidad de golpear cuando tus golpes se vean y procurar que no te den golpes y si te golpean que se vea lo menos posible
"Desconocía Por Completo" a Este Boxeador y Su Historia de Vida.!
Same here.. but we shouldn’t have been. He should’ve been spoken about more.
Me too, and I'm from the soviet union.
feels like the author of the popular Webtoon "The Boxer" pulled a lot of inspiration from not only Mike Tyson, but also this incredible man. RIP
Exactly what I saw. His punch placement was exactly where it needed to be. Ali's "phantom" punch against Sonny Liston in their rematch may have been the same thing. Ali was not a power puncher and he, himself, said he was not powerful. But put it in exactly the right spot and you don't need great power.
Seeing the first KO 0:04 i immediately thought of Ali's "phantom" punch against Sonny Liston.
Ali “Get up and fight, nobody will believe this” never duplicated that one punch KO,. This dude WAS a power puncher, the fact that he made it look so easy with a short punch time after time after time!
Sonny Liston took a dive.
@user-gs3tq6bx2u Wrong. Ali kept calling him to get up cuz he knew he didn't hit him. Sonny took a dive, there's no doubt about that.
@user-gs3tq6bx2uPlainly see? On a dark 60s tv grainy video? Yeah, the only thing you'll see is Ali calling Sonny to stop pretending and get up.
He was tall and lanky with a long reach,not fast ,almost awkward but that beautiful lightning fast right
0:12 - That is impressive young. Still, "Big" George Foreman was just 19 year young with a short amature career when he won Olympic gold medal in 1968 OG in Mexico.
Still record for youngest gold medalist in Heavyweight class.
Well just like with Teofilo Stevenson, it is a great shame we never saw Vyacheslav Lemeshev become professional and go for the top!
Much easier to do in Heavyweight, after all there is less big man and there is also less athletic big men, deontay wilder got a bronze medal after starting boxing at 20+ yrs old, that doesn’t happen in other weight classes.
But George didn’t drop people with what appeared to be soft touches of the right jab .. and from such a slim man.. George was a different talent.
good reaction time but overrated power soviet propaganda he only knocked out 38.4% of his opponents@@TheEyeBall333. George hit much harder than this guy
@@coachingconfidant2785George was also fatter a lot heavier.
@@TheEyeBall333 Agree!
The Soviet union and Cuba got dangerous boxers
Right because cuban style is came from soviet style
Ok, that's why México has produced more world champs then any other country right !?
@@RobertoRamirez-zu5fw
The correct word is "than", not "then"
@danielolowu7626.
You don't have your own functioning brain, you just repeat stuff like a parrot.
@redblade8160 My comment was about boxing not to prove I'm a spelling bee champion.
Timing was unreal. That and knowing when to sit down on your shots at the same time. Awsome. Sad though.
A true legend in the sport of boxing.
I celebrate him each time I see a young boxer excel in the sport.
Down the road, when I see him there, he will be on my team,
Trust ❤
He would lose to Bivol big time !
I wonder if his phenom ability was due to the perfect storm of genetic luck:
a combination of dense bones, also, where his muscles, ligaments and tendons all attached to the bones made a perfect lever for rapid acceleration, so his acceleration of his fist was profound, and that coupled with above average reflexes, hand to eye coordination, and then how he was tought also to throw a good punch.
and finally he had a sort of 'xray vision' to have a good idea of a precise location where a punch would inflict the most stunning shock to his adversary nervous system.
Force = mass times acceleration, acceleration being the most important variable, also the reflexes to get that force to the perfect spot.
What an interesting story.
The various aspects of human genetics fascinate me, how our physical and mental make up makes us all what we are and what we can and can't do.
Wow, what a great story. Sad ending, as a former alcoholic I understand a little bit what he went through towards the end.R.I.P. warrior.
There are no former alcoholics.
@@richardmullins1883 True.
Marvin Johnson was a great fighter. He was world champion as a professional several times.
Ashton Kutcher's real father.
🤣
Hilarious dude!
Wasn't his father that balding guy from Die Hard?
Alcohol is very dangerous. I’ve learned to stay away from it when I start a pattern of drinking too many weekends. Used to be completely dry but here or there is ok. Just not every week.
Hollywood should make a movie about his life.
No chance he is enemy people
Well, he was a white, strong, russian, hetero man. So, I would say there's a -1000/100% of chances they would make a film film about him. That said, I would love to watch a film on him. Maybe there's a russian's one?
Great! Concentration to punch when the view is completely open and clear to hit at the right place.
One punch no lunch.
What talented and gifted athlete. Sad story that and it is a story I've heard about some American boxers, or very close.
Marvin Johnson was tough. He became light heavyweight champ for a while.
"You Vill LOSE."
"Whatever he Hits...he Destroys."
The real life Ivan drago.i wonder if Ivan Drago was based on him?
RIP. Thanks for the great fights.
The fact that he fought and won many fights with injury to his right hand is more astounding.
A city can spend hundreds of millions -- even billions -- just to attract a single Olympic Games. But no one set up a fund to help Olympic medal winners who fall on hard times, become injured or infirm. Shame that never made it into anyone's list of priorities.
Sorta like the NFL players who have Orthopedic injuries, and also lose their Minds when still Young.
From INDIA WITH LOVE, to you. Your opinion is really True.
He knocks that arm down and hits right in the jaw every time
Alcohol destroyed his life had he not gotten into alcohol addiction he'd have been alive!! Extremely sad ending which he did not deserve RIP legend
A fighter is a fighter respect
Soviets always been pioneered in sports. Not just boxing.
I hoped, that this year WTA/ATP/ITF, would stop this nonsense of mixing sport with politics.
Every player should have right to play under her/his country's flag. One cannot choose the country of one's birth.
Appointing "flag police" at the AO 2023 was not even childish... it was embarrassing and insane...
Wars are run by politicians not sportsmen/sportswomen.
Why during the invasion of Iraq, 20 year bombing of Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Pakistan not to mention the genocidal Vietnam war US, Australian, UK... athletes were allowed to compete under their national flag?
USA invaded Iraq in 2003 and yet their flag was still allowed at the World Cup 2006 in Germany and 2010 in South Africa despite the fact they were still in Iraq.
Either ban ALL flags of countries who go to war, or don't ban any of them.
Interestingly enough Israeli tennis players Mika Buchnik and Guy Sasson are allowed to play under the national flag in AO 2024 despite the policy of their government towards Palestinians in Gaza.
***
All wars are equal, but some wars are more equal than others.
Karma caught up with idiotic politicization of sport by self-righteous Western democracies.
Three tennis players representing "authoritarian/ totalitarian regimes" - archenemies of so called collective West (America and it's geopolitical European vassals) play in the final of the lucrative sport.
AO organisers and administrators and ATP/WTA bureaucrats dreaded that scenario.
Now with the fake smiles and insincere congratulatory speeches they have to hand over the prestigious trophies and... fat cheques to the Russian and Chinese players.
Russia has been the pioneer and world leader in whataboutism and cry bullying
Thanks vlad
@@scottpowers2632 arrogant comment
Absolutely ✅️ 💯
Dude was incredible, such a short punch KOing opponents. He was boxing’s version of Bruce Lee’s 1 inch punch.
Kids, please. The one-inch punch wasn't even a Bruce Lee novelty, it already was part of Wing Chun.
Man all that shit been here, there were generations and generations way before any of us so you can't say who invented what besides, original people were here before anyone. I can tell who's brainwashed from the comments y'all make. Get real, think for a minute
The one man he couldn't beat. The one man who is rarely beaten.
The man in the bottle..
I believe Alex Pereira (UFC champion)learned from this guy,but with the left hand . Also,both had problems with alcohol.
Alex has power and is a big dude, but his speed isnt that special. His leg kicks are more similar to this guy punch, almost 0 telling.
How many times Pereira get smashed
Nice job on this, it's a shame he wasted his talent.
Grim life in the Soviet Union. They didn't allow their boxers to compete professionally.
IMO it was his preceding block of the opponents punch that did the trick. The opponents ran into a vulnerable position.
I know you're going to get a lot of armchair tossers on here judging harshly by "modern standards" but I've been around boxing for a long time, and this bloke found new ways to knock men out that I haven't seen, before or since. RJJ came closest.
"Armchair Tossers" I love it! Far too many of them around these days, so-called experts who have never faced up to the hard stuff - from our recent Prime Ministers downwards.
In the White corner, waving a white flag - it's Rishi Sunak!
CHEATING 😂😂😂 ITS THAT PART OF THE WORLD 🌎 😂...THEY CHEAT ONLY.THEY TAKE A COCKTAIL OF DRUGS AND YOU CAN SEE HIS GLOVES ARE RIGGED
Becausee way bck then I was also a boxer, a good-looking guy who hardy ever got hit. I still am good looking, or so the ladies tell me.
Try positioning, timing, defence, and a brain. @user-gs3tq6bx2u
@user-gs3tq6bx2u You don't need a lot of space to knock someone out. Humans know nothing about power but like to think you do
Great documentary. Great testament to his talent and training, great example of how hard it is to be mentally prepared for greatness in both life and sport.
Great video. Never heard of this guy. So sad how his life ended. Nonetheless, congratulation on a great career cut short.
Good fighter! It's simple physics; a straight line is the shortest path to a target. So, ofcourse, his straight right will get there before a hook from an opponent. The coach overlooked one glaring flaw Lemeshev had: he stood upright, which means that he is very susceptible to hooks and overhead right-hands. This doesn't take away from Lemeshev accomplishments but if he used that style today, he will be knocked out fairly quickly.
The kid was only 20 at the time! He would probaply have adjusted in the pro's! But great fighters once they would get down on a rijgt hand like that! They would have adjusted and probaply get the russian out of there and avoided the right like the plaque
I'm going through a stage where I'm watching lots of Soviet stuff it's just such a fascinating period to watch
He learned to counter-punch only he would do it quicker than anyone else. His reaction time was great.
Great video, i'm a fan of the box but I didn't know about it until I saw your video. Sad ending but Vyacheslav Lemeshev will not be forgotten.
He exposed Johnson's China chin. VERY efficient style.
I will always remember Tom Brady's comment when a reporter was asking about bad injuries in football and what he thought about the tragedies in pro football like Junior Seau. I think Tom said, "We all meet a tragic end".
Meanwhile - ka-ching!
He was a master of picking the right moment
Well done 👏 The happiness is so much earned 👏 ❤
OMG that is such a sad story.
I saw this style of boxing once back in 1933 when these two guys were fighting at a Woolworths. One guy was bonafide, the other one wasn't.
Sounds like this guy was the Jaco Pastorius of boxing.
(Pastorius was one of the most talented bass players of all time, if not the most as well as one of the most influential. But alcoholism and a crappy lifestyle led to him dying broke, young and broken. From roughly the same time period as well)
My god the power of those punches!!! He's like the Soviet version of Hitman Hearns! Also very good technique with that rear hand, that's the short cross for you if you get the timing right.
bro is the real ivan drago
I wonder if Ivan Drago was based on him?
@@GlenRoss-ug5jm probably not because ivan drago was originally gonna be a big hairy russian bear looking guy the ivan we know now wasn't thought of yet until dulph lundregen joined the movie
So, he had the speed and punching power of a mantis shrimp. What an exceptional talent he was. His story shouldn't have ended like that. 😢
Sadly - humans rank below the mantis shrimp in common sense.
The reach of those arms.
That were good, thanks for that vid.
Vjatšeslav Lemeshev 🤛
Love how Don King's voice is dubbed from Kinglish to English.
In incredible power since the punch very short.
He could see the bullets, like Neo. Clearly, he was a phenomenon of nature, he had a gene that made him react faster than any other human.
Boxing as an Olympic sport, has served its time.
I never ever heard of this man, thank you and thank you this was amazing and tragic.
It would have been interesting to see his pro career - but he was still human and lost to some of the top ranked guys including Johnson. Dont forget Marvin went to the USSR and beat Lemeshev - an unheard feat at the time. And while Marvin translated well into professional ranks, as a benchmark Spinks (76 middleweight gold medal winner) made short work of Johnson sparking him out in 4 rounds on the pros. Marvin would defend a vacant WBO belt once but still an incredible fighter.
As for lemeshev, I absolutely love the Russian style - imo it’s the most aesthetically pleasing. He was quintessential Soviet boxing.
lemeshev was truly gifted in the art of counterpunching . That’s not remotely in doubt. BUT he also was never in front of any big names in a pro fight. With his injured dominant hand, it was all over unfortunately. I’m sure he would have translated well barring his struggles personally.
Lemeshev TKO'd Johnson in 2 in the rematch and went on to beat Spinks as well. He certainly was better than both as an amateur so he could well have gone on to do that as a pro. But the drink got to him first.
Лемешев выйграл и у Марвина и у Спинкса брат .!
He actually parries really well and sneaks that cross in with good timing…his jab is either searching for the dudes head or the lead jab of the opponent constantly pushing and parrying it down… it tires you out through the fight
How would you fight a tall defensive guy with a can't miss deadly right counter? I think it's puzzling to come up with a plan.
He beat Spinks as well
why overlay DON KANGZ voice?
Tyson destroyed Spinks, retribution for not getting picked for the Olympics.
A movie about him would be legendary
The Soviet union was something of an enigma.
he stood as a testament to skill, determination, and an unyielding spirit. A truly remarkable force in the ring, he demonstrated the art of combat with finesse and prowess. His legacy echoes the tales of triumph and battles won.
Yet, in the world of pugilism, there's always a sense of the unknown, a hypothetical match that never came to be. He was a very good fighter, no doubt, but like any narrative of greatness, there's the 'what if.' What if he had lived long enough to face another Buster Douglas? Just ask Mike Tyson.
I know his secret. Its pure technique. Bruce Lee said it best. Practice one thing a thousand times. The secret is no elbow flare. That puts so much power into a straight right its ungoldly.
there is no secret u fool I guarantee I'd spark u out in the 1st round I was born with my insane power
Most extraordinary talents dies young....
time after time.
Or ruined by the ones around them....
Imagine if someone got him to defect to Canada or the U.S? This guy might have been one of the most devastating pro boxers in history with he right medical care and lifestyle.
nah that's a myth good reaction time but overrated power soviet propaganda he only knocked out 38.4% of his opponents. There's at least 100 boxers better than him
@@coachingconfidant2785 Tyson defeated many who were taller with a longer reach, Lemeshev would not have beaten Tyson. Tyson was too aggressive to allow some one like Lemeshev to get his shots in. Thanks for the video.
Even well into the 80s, life was miserable for the family of the defector. You want your elderly parents sent to a gulag in Siberia so you can make a few bucks?
@@seltonk5136 ideally, he would have gotten his family out when he defected if possible. It was an ideal scenario, not necessarily a realistic one. I'm disappointed that I'd even have to explain that.
He had a gift his reaction time was faster than most even the shot placement was on point
Why was a translator needed for Don King 😂
To translate from BS to English, lol
😂
Have you ever heard that idiot talk?
Because he didn’t really say those words
His trainer Lev Segalovich was a legend of Soviet boxing.
He modelled himself on basil fawlty
In Cuba we used to call him "Little hammer". One punch and it was light out
talent has two edges on its blade...