Oleg Maskaev had won two of five fights and been stopped three times when promoter, Dennis Rappaport, met him in 2002 -- not long after the 33-year-old Russian-American had suffered an eighth-round knockout loss to journeyman, Corey Sanders.Since then, however, Maskaev is 14-1 with 10 knockouts -- a run that began with six straight KOs. The first stoppage was a one-rounder against Erroll Sadikovski in February of 2003.
"Oleg, in the ring, is now doing something that he's never done before -- and that's being relaxed," Rappaport said of Maskaev, who is coming off of a first-round knockout of Rich Boruff in March -- his second straight win since being dethroned as WBC champ a year earlier by Samuel Peter in six rounds.
"A relaxed fighter is the most dangerous fighter in the world. Oleg's boxing beautifully, he's devastating to the body," said Rappaport. "Even at his age, he's learning new things, and, more importantly, he's got the desire to continue learning."
On Dec. 11 at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium, the 40-year-old Maskaev (36-6, 27 KOs) takes on Dominican-born, Nagy Aguilera (14-2, nine KOs). A win earns a berth against 39-year-old Ray Austin (28-4-4, 18 KOs), with the winner of that matchup earning the chance to face WBC champ, Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs).
"The main goal is to fight Vitali Klitschko. He's running away from me, and I don't know why," said Maskaev, who lives in Sacramento with his wife, Svetlana, and four daughters.
"I've been looking to fight this guy for six years, and, hopefully, one way or the other, it will happen. Maybe he's running because I beat him once."
Maskaev said that he fought Klitschko as an amateur in 1992, and contends that a left hook led to Klitschko's corner throwing in the towel.
"Vitali has never admitted that. It's always, 'Oh, I hurt my hand, and then, I couldn't continue,'" said Maskaev, who decisioned Peter Okhello in February 2006 for his lone title defense. "But I remember I hurt him, three times, and when his trainer saw that he couldn't handle it, they stopped the fight."
As a professional, Maskaev is most known for his two victories over former WBC champ, Hasim Rahman, whom he stopped in eight rounds, in November of 1999, before dethroning him in the 12th round of their August, 2006 rematch.
I was very happy when I beat him the first time, because Rahman was sure that he was going to knock me out," said Maskaev, named Ring Magazine's "Comeback Fighter Of The Year" in 2006.
"The second time against Rahman, it was much harder. But after that fight, Rahman wasn't the same -- believe me," said Maskaev. "I believe that I destroyed him. Totally."
Ironically, Maskaev is also defined by his losses -- all by knockout -- including those against Sanders and journeymen, Lance Whitaker and Kirk Johnson, respectively, in two and four rounds.
The loss to Johnson, in October of 2000, ended Maskaev's run of 10 consecutive wins, nine of them by knockout. It also began the skid of three losses over his next five fights.
Maskaev was stopped, back-to-back, by Johnson and Whitaker, the latter, in March of 2001.
"Oleg looks better right now, training for [Aguilera,] then I think he's looked since we've been together," said Rappaport. "No one has a crystal ball, but as long as he's got the speed, he's sharp, and he's successful, we'll continue."
Born in Zhambul, Kazakhstan, Maskaev grew up farming cows and sheep and escaped a near-death experience as a 16-year-old coal miner - the age at which he also became a father.
While "hauling wagons full of coal weighing as much as 6,000 pounds," Maskaev was nearly crushed.
"Sometimes, the supporting ropes would break," said Maskaev, whose father was his foreman. "I once noticed a breaking rope. I jumped out of the way as it hit a wall. I was lucky. My father found out and said, 'That's it for you.'"
Still 16 when he left home with Svetlana, Maskaev enrolled in a Russian sports academy to learn to box. At 18, Maskaev joined the army, and remained until he was 25.
While enlisted, Maskaev fathered two more girls before marrying Svetlana at age 22. He nearly went to war in Afghanistan, "but being a boxer for my country, my trainer arranged for me to be pulled out," Maskaev said.
Maskaev turned pro in his hometown of Zhambul in April of 1993, against 6-foot-4 Alexander Miroshnichenko, who was 21-0 with 15 knockouts.
Maskaev stopped him in three rounds.
Just 23 months later, Maskaev's second pro fight was against journeyman Jimmy Harrison, a veteran of 44 bouts, even though he was only 6-33-5.
Maskeav ended that one in four rounds.
Maskaev was then matched against Joe Thomas, who entered the ring with a record of 23-1-1, and who was coming off of his 19th knockout victory.
Maskaev went the distance for only the second time in his career, earning a decision over six rounds.
Neither Miroshnichenko, nor Thomas, has been in the ring since losing to Maskaev, whose early accomplishments were as admirable as Rappaport found the matchmaking to be deplorable.
"Here was a kid, who, in his first professional fight, they put him in with somebody who had beaten Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe in the amateurs. And he goes ahead and knocks the guy out," said Rappaport. "In Oleg's fourth fight, they put him in with Joe Thomas, whom people thought was going to be a heavyweight champion. Good thing Oleg won that one also."
Maskaev had earned three of his first six victories by knockout in February of 1996, when he was stopped in one round by Oliver McCall.
Not only had McCall just been dethroned as WBC champ by Frank Bruno, but he already had decisioned former world champ, Larry Holmes, and had knocked out Lewis, Bruce Seldon and Francesco Damiani -- all three of whom were former world champs at the time.
Maskaev was 10-1, with six knockouts when he was matched against David Tua, whose 22 stops among 26 victories without a loss had included a 19-second win over future world champion, John Ruiz.
"It seemed like Oleg was going in against some of the toughest veterans they could find," said Rappaport. "To me, that's inconceivable."
Still, Maskaev persevered, reeling off four straight knockouts, and six stoppages among seven consecutive wins.
At 17-2, with 12 KOs, Maskaev was matched against Rahman for the first time.
Trailing by three points on two judges' cards, and, by seven, on the third, Maskaev literally knocked Rahman out of the ring, into the lap of HBO's ringside analyst, Jim Lampley, and, eventually, onto the arena floor.
"People don't know the real Oleg," said Maskaev. "When I'm mentally strong, physically strong, healthy, with no problems -- I can do a lot of things. I've proven that before, and I'm going to prove it again."
