About Me
Sex: Male
Nationality: Belarussian
Alias: White Wolf
Birth Name: Sergei Petrovich
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Birthplace: Vitebsk, Belarus
Rated at: Heavyweight
World Rank: 6 / 888
Date of Birth: 1976-05-29
Age: 30
Reach: 74.5€?
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6' 4
Trainer: Kenny Weldon
Manager: Ivailo Gotzev
W 23 (14 ko's) | L 1 | D 0 | Total 24
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An exciting transfusion into the sport of boxing has been the emergence of boxers from the former Soviet republics who have prospered to the extent that three of the four major world heavyweight titles are currently held by fighters that hail from this region.
Shedding a stiff, regimented and basically one-dimensional standup style, Sergei "White Wolf" Liakhovich, from Belarus, has joined Ukrainian brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko as well as St. Petersburg giant Nicolai "Beast from the East" Valuev in becoming a world heavyweight champion.
While not having yet received the attention and acclaim of the Klitschkos, the once-beaten Liakhovich possesses the entire package. Carrying a quiet confidence in the ring, Liakhovich is large, strong, talented and deceivingly quick for a heavyweight. His nimble and fluid style comes naturally according to his manager Ivaylo Gotzev. "The heavyweight community and boxing fans are now taking notice of Sergei," says Gotzev, who spotted and signed the mammoth Liakhovich, along with current IBF cruiserweight world champion Vasily Jirov following the 1996 Olympics.
Gotzev was ringside when Liakhovich suffered a controversial one-point setback to Tonga's super heavyweight Paea Wolfgramm in the first round of the tournament. Paea went on to win the silver medal (dropping the gold medal match to Wladimir Klitschko). Despite the disappointing result at the Olympics in Atlanta, Liakhovich shined as an amateur.
He rebounded to win a bronze medal at the 1997 World Championships and in 1998, before the home fans in Minsk, he knocked off England's burly Audley Harrison who would become the world amateur 2000 champion. Liakhovich closed out his sparkling amateur career with a 145-15 mark.
When it came time to turn pro, he scored a first-round knockout over Igor Sharapov before an appreciative Belarusian crowd. An impressive points win over rugged Alex Vassiliev (who would later become the WBC Intercontinental champion) in Belarus and another win over Sergei Tretiakov in St. Petersburg landed Liakhovich in the United States to confront Isaac Poole in Miami on Aug. 27, 1999. Liakhovich floored the overmatched Poole and scored a first-round knockout and then re-located to Scottsdale, Ariz.
Demonstrating rapid improvement with each outing, Liakhovich gained tremendous confidence in plowing through Marshall Tillman, Donald Macon and Tracy Wilson in setting up a bout against Everett "Big Foot" Martin on March 28, 2000 in Honolulu. Martin, the former Dallas Cowboy football player, had more than 55 pro fights under his belt but was completely dominated by the physical Liakhovich, who won a unanimous decision after eight rounds.
Following three more victories, including a second knockout of Tracy Wilson, the table was set for Liakhovich's toughest test to date, a matchup against 11-2 Derrell Dixon in Las Vegas on Dec. 2, 2000. Liakhovich dictated the pace and action to overwhelm Dixon and won a unanimous six-round nod.
Adapting well to the American lifestyle, Liakhovich continued to get stronger with the help of a fitness trainer and dietician. He missed his father, mother and sister back in Belarus, but found a Russian-born girlfriend, Irina, in Arizona.
On April 14, 2001, Liakhovich went up against cagey and dangerous Sedrick "Big Buck" Fields, who had earlier knocked off Shannon Briggs in an impressive upset points win.
Liakhovich manhandled Fields from the start with a relentless bruising attack that featured his wicked left hand. "He's got a Tommy Morrison-like left," says Gotzev. "But he's also developing an excellent right, so he's got power in both hands."
A frustrated Fields was docked two points by the referee and nearly disqualified after charging the Belarusian fighter following the fourth round. In the end, Liakhovich pounded out a one-sided eight-round decision.
Liakhovich remained unbeaten with a first round thrashing of Ed White on June 16, 2001, in Cincinnati. White entered the bout with a respectable 11-4 mark, but was decked twice by Liakhovich before the fight was stopped 53 seconds into the first round.
Liakhovich realized a life-long dream when he faced undefeated and highly touted Friday "The 13th" Ahunanya, the defending North American Boxing Association champion on Nov. 17, 2001, in Las Vegas. Liakhovich dominated the champion throughout the fight with his left jab and strength. The judges agreed as they all scored Liakhovich the winner.
He suffered his only setback in his next bout against spoiler Maurice "Mo' Betta' Harris, who, although behind on points, managed to muster the power to score a knockout over Liakhovich in the ninth round in Atlantic City, N.J., on June 1, 2002.
Liakhovich criticized himself for not being in peak condition for the Harris fight, and the White Wolf has devoured six opponents since then.
In Atlantic City on Dec. 3, 2004, he won a unanimous decision over fellow young upstart Dominick Guinn. Liakhovich had been an underdog heading into the match, which was televised live domestically on NBC-TV, but he proved too much for Guinn and catapulted himself back into a world top 10 ranking.
Liakhovich was to have faced Owen "What the Heck" Beck on SHOWTIME on Sept 3, 2005, but suffered a painful bruised cartilage in his rib cage during training that scuttled the match just weeks before the event.
Sergei then did what so many of the heavyweight contenders should be doing in a wide-open division. He went right back to the gym and resumed his regimen under the guidance of his trainer, Kenny Weldon. Liakhovich improved his skills through hard work. Weldon said the only boxer he has worked with that can compare to Sergei's dedication is the legendary four-time heavyweight champion Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield.
When Liakhovich entered the ring in Cleveland on April 1, some thought he would be a mere April Fool's joke for the vaunted World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion "Relentless" Lamon Brewster, who was making the fourth defense of his title in a SHOWTIME broadcast event.
Liakhovich shocked the champion by establishing his jab in the first four rounds to the extent that two judges had him pitching a shutout going into the fifth round. Liakhovich continued to duck the power punches Brewster had built his reputation upon, and landed his own power punches. In fact, he was so dominant with his power shots in the sixth round that one could easily have argued for a two-point round; however, Liakhovich settled for sweeping the sixth on all three scorecards by the customary single-point margin.
Brewster must have known he was trailing on all three scorecards going into the seventh round, and he mounted a withering power-punch assault on Liakhovich for most of the round. With just seconds remaining before the bell, Brewster was battering Liakhovich against the ropes, when Liakhovich ended the assault by astutely taking a knee. The bell was sounded just after fighting resumed after the mandatory eight-second count.
Brewster continued to score in the eighth, winning the round on two of the three scorecards, but he would do little scoring for the remainder of the match. Liakhovich's superior conditioning emerged as Brewster faded. It was a miracle that Brewster didn't go down from the barrage of punches Liakhovich landed, and this was another round that could have been scored 10-8 in Liakhovich's favor.
During the last four rounds, Liakhovich won every round on all three judges' scorecards, with the sole exception of the final round where one judge gave the nod to Brewster.
Liakhovich won the championship by unanimous decision with scores of 117-110, 115-112 and 115-113.
"Lamon was a real great champion," Liakhovich said after the fight. "I know he hits real hard with power and has lots of will but I answered him every time. Then he felt my power.
"After the fourth round I knew I was controlling the fight but Lamon hits like a mule. I felt like I did the right thing when I took a knee at the end of round seven. I almost sent him down twice, too.
"I would love to fight Wladimir Klitschko. They say I'm scared in the Russian press. I am afraid of nobody."
Brewster gave nothing but praise to Liakhovich after the fight.
""Liakhovich deserved to win, He earned it," Brewster said. I take my hat off to him. He won and we have a rematch. I cannot wait to do it again. He fought a good fight and is a good fighter. We both deserve to be at the top. "
Asked about how he stayed on his feet during Liakhovich's brutal assault in round nine, Brewster said, "I stayed on my feet in round nine from sheer will."
Trainer Weldon summed up Sergei's performance best.
"Sergei Liakhovich is the best boxing heavyweight in the world and he punches with power in both hands," Weldon said. "He is a complete fighter that has come into his own. Remember, he did this to Lamon Brewster after a 16-month layoff."
Outside the ring, Liakhovich is a quiet but pleasant family man. He is also a big fan of ultimate fighting and has had to be restrained by Gotzev from becoming a participant. A "Russian Commando" at heart, according to his manager, he is a good friend with many of the ultimate fighting champions and attends their events regularly. Weapons, guns and ammunition also fascinate him.
