Boxing has long been interested in how athletes with unusual physiques, from Iran’s Hulk to Taishan Dong, have developed careers in the ring.
WBN examines the fascination with boxers who are simply odd. There have been anomalies in the super heavyweight and heavyweight divisions in the past, and that tradition has continued into the exhibition arena.
When ‘Iranian Hulk‘ Sajad Gharibi’s entry into combat sports immediately sparked intrigue with what he had to offer in the squared circle. Gharibi posted several photos of the mountain mammoth that could destroy anything in his path. He even joined the ranks of Bare Knuckle Fighting after signing with BKFC.
The truth was that Hulk was under six feet, and standing next to a true brute like Martyn Ford, Gharibi looked like a impoverished effort at a fighter. It all ended in tears when Gharibi was knocked out early in his only boxing match.
There have been many anomalies in the past, and some have seriously hoped to succeed in the sport. In 1935, one European giant opened the door for others to follow in his footsteps.
The world’s tallest boxers
Gogea Several [pictured above on the left]born Dumitru Stefanescu, he started a revolution on the professional side of the sport. Still listed as the tallest Romanian of all time, Mitu stood at 7ft 4in [2 meters 23cm] and 8 feet 2 inches [2 meters 50cm]depending on who you believe.
Judging by Mitu’s photos, you’d be inclined to think the latter. But when Mitu made his pro debut at age 25 in June 1935, the lanky puncher was already struggling with a height problem. A first-round knockout of Saverio Grizzo put Mitu on the map. Four months later, a second early knockout victory in his homeland led to a call from France.
Mitu went to Paris to start a lucrative period with a possible next trip to America. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. Despite thrilling the Parisian fans with a second-round victory over Giuseppe Sanga, Mitu never fought again.
Six months later, Mitu died from complications of tuberculosis, aged just 26. Mitu had already set the stage for what was to come.
The boxing fraternity was already fascinated when the South African fighter appeared George PotgieterHe was 7 feet 2 inches statuesque and won 11 of 13 fights. [all eleven by KO]. Interest in taller athletes has increased, especially in professional wrestling and other combat sports. Over the years, boxing has enjoyed crossovers with competitors from the worlds of wrestling and sumo. Muhammad Ali AND George Foreman were just two of those who competed in the exhibition competition.
After a period of standstill in the 1980s. Mike Tyson took center stage with his incredible knockout power. Unfortunately for Tyson, the 1990s were a breeding ground for taller heavyweights. Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and brother Vitali took the top division into a recent era of super heavyweights.
The Dawn of the Super Heavyweight Boxer
In the 2000s, this incredibly statuesque boxer returned as Nikolai Valuev. A 7-foot Russian colossus with bad intentions, Valuev turned pro in 1993, gaining immediate recognition for his sheer mass and brute strength.
A decade of battling timid opposition had made Valuev a 33-0 contender. Soon it was time to step up. At the time, the Klitschko brothers had a monopoly on the division. Typically, neither wanted to get close to someone like Valuev, even though he was now a gigantic name in Germany.
Valuev instead set his sights on a shot at the WBA “regular” title. Wins over Larry Donald and Clifford Ettiene helped him rise in the rankings. John Ruiz was next for the largely unrecognized belt. Valuev broke the mold, however, by becoming the only fighter seven feet statuesque or taller to become a world champion.
The series lasted three defenses. The unexpected and much shorter Ruslan Chagaev took over the mantle of Nik’s invincibility via majority decision. Triumphs over Evander Holyfield in Zurich, Ruiz again [regaining the title]and Siarhei Liakhovich remained at the top. Moreover, the stress of being a fighter took its toll on Valuev’s considerable physique.
When the little one [compared to Valuev] a former cruiserweight named David Haye called, the writing was already on the wall. It would take a much smaller man to prove he was Kryptonite. The training regimes were torture for Valuev at the time. After twelve rounds, Valuev fell to the hard-hitting Briton on points. Wobbling along the way, it was the precise moment for Valuev to call it a day.
Already leading the taller man into a recent era, proving that long-term success in the sport is possible, Valuev remains a legendary figure among the more gigantic lifters. In a later shocking move, Valuev became a children’s storyteller on television.
Taishan Dong and the Iranian Hulk
Since then, boxing has been hungry for another monster. For a brief moment in 2015, it seemed like it was the Chinese man-mountain Taishan Dong was the man. Signed by Golden Boy Promotions under Oscar De La Hoya, Taishan was promoted under the moniker “The Great Wall.”
After a few knockouts, everything seemed to be going well. That was until Taishan started landing more and more punches in each fight. Unhappy with his suspect defense broken, Taishan retired from boxing after six fights.
For almost two years, people wondered what happened to Taishan. In 2017, they got their answer. Unsurprisingly, it was former WWE boss Vince McMahon, the entrepreneur who brought “Andre the Giant” to the forefront. Dong entered wrestling, offering Taishan a spot at WWE Developmental in their Performance Center.
Trying out in October 2017, Taishan was officially signed by WWE in July 2018. He lasted just five months before voluntarily leaving WWE.
Iranian Instagram star Hulk followed in Taishan’s footsteps. Judging by his [now confirmed as doctored] posts, looked like an amazing specimen.
BKFC boss David Feldman wanted to organize at least one show with the participation of the most popular Iranian weightlifter. However, the whole story of the Iranian Hulk turned out to be a farce. Later, he lost his first heavyweight fight in the first round. Oddly enough, he cried to his mother and was afraid to face the music after being humiliated. All this added to the fairy tale and kept martial arts fans on the edge of their seats.
We’re waiting for another giant to take on the sport. RIZIN recently signed a seven-footer to compete in their ranks.
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