Sergei Kobozev

Sergey Kobozev (Kostroma, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union; 20 July 1964 – 8 November 1995) was a Russian boxer, who challenged for the WBC Cruiserweight title in 1995. He is also known as a first boxer to defeat John Ruiz. He proved to be a tough slugger, but his career ended early after he was killed by the Russian mafia.<ref name=Cordy />

Kobozev was the Cruiserweight Champion of the Soviet Union. After moving to the United States, he continued his undefeated career and became the International Boxing Federation Cruiserweight Champion in July 1994. He was scheduled to fight Orlin Norris on March 12, 1995, for the WBA World Cruiserweight title, but the fight didn't happen. In a bout for the WBC Cruiserweight title on October 24, 1995, he lost his title shot via a split decision. Shortly thereafter he was given another title shot opportunity at a rematch scheduled for December 13 for which he was training,<ref>Missing boxer's car found by Jose Lambiet, Daily News from New York, November 14, 1995.</ref> he also had three big matches coming up,<ref name=McQuillan /> but on November 8, 1995, Kobozev was reported missing by his girlfriend Lina Cherskikh.<ref>Soviet boxer missing, Elyria Chronicle Telegram Newspaper, November 13, 1995, p. 13.</ref><ref>Missing fighter's car found, Syracuse Herald Journal, November 14, 1995, p. 30.</ref><ref>Immigrant boxer's tale rewritten as a mystery by Ira Berkow, Detroit Free Press, November 27, 1995, Page 7D.</ref> Later surfaced that Kobozev was murdered by Russian mafia after a bar scuffle at Brooklyn's Paradise Club the weekend of November 3, 1995.<ref name=Cordy>No trace of boxer. But cops eye link to scuffle by Molly Cordy, Daily News from New York, November 26, 1995, p. 26.</ref>

Early life

Kobozev had been a captain in the Soviet Army and held a degree in chemistry from the Institute of Moscow, before he made his name as a cruiserweight on the Soviet national boxing team.

Amateur career

As an amateur, Kobozev held wins over Ali Al-Baluchi and Garry Delaney.

Highlights

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Template:Gold1 Army Championships of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (heavyweight), Yaroslavl, RSFSR, June 1984:

• (no data available)

Template:Gold1 Tammer Tournament (light heavyweight), Tampere, Finland, October 1984:

• Finals: Defeated Milan Picka (Czechoslovakia) by decision

Template:Gold1 President's Cup (heavyweight), Jakarta, Indonesia, February 1985:

• Finals: Defeated Ali Al-Baluchi (Kuwait) RSC 2

Template:Silver2 Summer Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR, boxing (light heavyweight), Moscow, RSFSR, September 1986:

• 1/2: Defeated Petro Mischenko (Ukrainian SSR)
• Finals: Lost to Yuriy Vaulin (Latvian SSR)

Template:Bronze3 Tammer Tournament (light heavyweight), Tampere, Finland, October 1986:

• 1/2: Lost to Wolf Preiss (East Germany)

Template:Silver2 Army Championships of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (light heavyweight), Rostov, RSFSR, June 1987:

• Finals: Lost to Khakim Matchanov (Uzbek SSR) by split decision, 2–3

Template:Bronze3 Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (light heavyweight), Las Tunas, Cuba, June–July 1988:

• 1/8: Defeated Benjamin Luperon (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
• 1/4: Defeated Julio Quintana (Cuba) by majority decision, 4–1
• 1/2: Lost to Pablo Romero (Cuba) by majority decision, 1–4

Template:Col-2 Strandzha Memorial (light heavyweight), Sofia, Bulgaria, February 1988:

• 1/4: Lost to Henryk Petrich (Poland) by split decision, 2–3

USA–Soviet Union Middle & Heavy Duals (light heavyweight), Stateline, Nevada, May 1988:

• Defeated Joseph Pemberton (United States) RET 2

Template:Bronze3 Ústí Grand Prix (light heavyweight), Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, March 1989:

• 1/4: Defeated Yaha Kosar (Syria) by decision
• 1/2: Lost to ?

Template:Bronze3 European Championships (light heavyweight), Athens, Greece, May–June 1989:

• 1/4: Defeated Alen Kozhukharov (Bulgaria) by unanimous decision, 5–0
• 1/2: Lost to Sven Lange (East Germany) by unanimous decision, 0–5

Template:Silver2 Army Championships of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (light heavyweight), Sliven, Bulgaria, June 1989:

• 1/2: Defeated Henryk Petrich (Poland) by walkover
• Finals: Lost to Pablo Romero (Cuba) by split decision, 2–3

Template:Gold1 Tammer Tournament (light heavyweight), Tampere, Finland, October 1989:

• Finals: Defeated Garry Delaney (England) by decision

USA–Soviet Middle & Heavy Duals (light heavyweight), Atlanta, Georgia, November 1989:

• Defeated Eugene Gill (United States) RSC

Professional career

In 1990 Kobozev went to the United States, he lived in a fourth-floor apartment on 16th Street in a working-class section of Sheepshead Bay with his live-in companion Yelena Cherskikh, and her 7-year-old son, Vitaly. He was managed by Thomas Gallagher and trained by Peter Kahn.

He received a shot at the WBC title vacated by recently retired Anaclet Wamba, for which Kobozev fought Marcelo Fabian Dominguez in Paris and lost via a controversial decision.

Early in November 1995 Kobozev started training for a December 13 rematch versus Marcelo Fabian Dominguez to whom he lost a split decision, but soon he disappeared.<ref name=McQuillan>Boxer's car is found by Alice McQuillan, Daily News from New York, November 14, 1995.</ref>

Kobozev's ring record was 22 wins and 1 loss in 23 professional outings.

Disappearance

Kobozev disappeared in November 1995, just 2 weeks after losing a close split decision for the WBC Cruiserweight title, his very first career loss.

Murder

The mystery surrounding his death was solved when his bones were found by the FBI in March 1999 in the backyard of the Russian Mafia's #2: Alexander Spitchenko in Livingston, New Jersey, United States. Kobozev's body had been buried in a shallow grave.[1] Template:Webarchive

Kobozev was allegedly murdered by two reputed Russian mobsters, Alexander Nosov and Vasiliy Ermichine. [2] Natan Gozman, a third defendant charged in the murder, remained a fugitive until February 2005, when he was arrested in Poland and extradited to New York, where he awaits trial.

Prosecutors said that the Russian mob allegedly turned against Kobozev because he worked as a part-time security guard at a Brooklyn restaurant from which Nosov was ejected after a fight with a musician.Template:Citation needed Several days after the fight, the defendants and a third member of the gang unexpectedly encountered Kobozev at a car repair shop, where they confronted him about the fight before Nosov shot him, authorities said.Template:Citation needed Still alive, Kobozev was put in a jeep and driven to the Livingston, N.J., home of a high-ranking member of the crime group, where his neck was broken by Ermichine after Kobozev asked to be taken to a hospital, prosecutors said.Template:Citation needed

Professional boxing record

Template:S-start |- |align="center" colspan=8|21 Wins (17 knockouts, 4 decisions), 1 Loss (1 decision), 1 Draw [3] |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes |- |Template:No2Loss |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Marcelo Fabian Dominguez |SD |12 |24/10/1995 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Palais Marcel Cerdan, Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Art Bayliss |TKO |5 |24/06/1995 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Dale Jackson |TKO |2 |29/03/1995 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Lexington Avenue Armory, New York City |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Doug "Dig-em-Up" Davis |TKO |8 |17/12/1994 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Taj Majal, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon "Boxing" Andrew Maynard |TKO |10 |27/08/1994 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Robert Daniels |RTD |8 |30/06/1994 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Eddie Curry |KO |1 |13/04/1994 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Raleigh, North Carolina |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon John Ruiz |SD |10 |12/08/1993 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Casino Magic, Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Danny Wofford |UD |8 |21/05/1993 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Marriott Hotel, Uniondale, New York |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Ken Jackson |TKO |2 |21/03/1993 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Taj Majal, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Kevin "The Monster" Parker |UD |6 |24/01/1993 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Taj Majal, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Kelvin Beatty |TKO |3 |10/12/1992 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Taj Majal, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Doug "Dig-em-Up" Davis |TKO |4 |23/10/1992 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Carl Lee Wilson |TKO |2 |25/09/1992 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Friar Tuck Inn, Catskill, New York |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Dwayne Hall |TKO |2 |14/08/1992 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Howard "Butch" Kelly |RTD |3 |01/07/1992 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Metropole Night Club, Brooklyn, New York |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Frank Dupree |UD |6 |20/06/1991 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Aspen Hotel, Parsippany, New Jersey |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Aleksandr Mitrofanov |KO |7 |17/02/1991 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Grozny, Chechen-Ingush ASSR |align=left|Template:Small |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Rafael Akopov |KO |3 |01/12/1990 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Barnaul, RSFSR |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|File:Flag of the Dagestan ASSR.svg Nurmagomed Shanavazov |KO |2 |03/11/1990 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Sport Palace Gornyak, Rudniy, Kazakh SSR |align=left| |- |Template:DrawDraw |Template:Small |align=left|File:Flag of the Dagestan ASSR.svg Nurmagomed Shanavazov |PTS |8 |30/09/1990 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Rostov-na-Donu, RSFSR |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Mikhail Poluyanov |KO |2 |02/06/1990 |align=left|Template:Flagicon Riga, Latvian SSR |align=left| |- |Template:Yes2Win |Template:Small |align=left|Template:Flagicon Andrey Korotaev |KO |6 |31/03/1990 |align=left|Template:Flagicon |align=left| |}

External links

• Village Voice article about Sergei Kobozev
• Template:Boxrec