Came across this today. I had never heard of the guy.
en.wikipedia.org
I knew about him but only knew the record book facts of being an Olympic champion in 72'. I didn't know the about the downward spiral of his life due to CTE. I remember a bunch of old Soviet fighters talk about the national program being harder than international tournaments as the sparring sessions were killers and the cutthroat competition to make an Olympic or world team was tougher than the tournament.
He obviously probably didn't have the proper diagnosis for concussions and fought through some and it spurred the CTE to happen earlier than a normal fighter would get the ailment.
This weekend White prospects fight on the Prograis vs Haney DAZN PPV and on the ESPN card and Chris Billam-Smith has a title fight on Sunday afternoon against a Polish veteran in his first title fight. Liam Paro fights Montana Love in the chief support of the DAZN PPV and Richard Torrez Jr fights beatable spoiler Curtis Harper.
I may comment on these fights if I view them. I don't see myself viewing the CBS fight as that would be happening during prime Sunday NFL action but who knows maybe the games I want to see will be blowouts when the main even happens.
Updating the Saturday bouts and Damian Knyba earned an 8 round decision over Michael Coffie. At one point Coffie was viewed as a fringe contender who had to be brought along quickly as he was in his mid 30's but after losing twice to high end spoiler Johnny Rice he has drifted down to this level. So a win over Coffie is to be expected and the scorecards were wide too so this is a decent win.
Richard Torrez Jr. pounded on Curtis Harper until the referee had seen enough with Harper's head rocking violently in the last round with nothing coming back from the veteran trial horse. Torrez will probably step up in competition in the new year once a cut that he sustained from Harper heals. He may fight a Coffie type in his next bout as he really learned nothing pounding on the hapless Harper.
Liam Pero made a statement with his violent stoppage of Montana Love. Love while not world class is a decent club fighter/regional draw but he was violently dispatched by the hard punching Australian of Italian ancestry in the 6th round after being dropped twice and was being pounded in a similar manner to the hapless Harper. It will be interesting who Matchroom has for Pero in his next bout.
Finally today CBS was out boxed and needed to rally after tough Pole Mateusz Masternak boxed smoothly for 6 rounds and 2 minutes and 50 odd seconds until Billam-Smith landed a rib punch that made the veteran give ground and then surrender on his stool with possible broken ribs or at least cartilage damage. Smith would be advised to avoid boxers if he wants to have a long reign or to work on his head movement as the veteran Pole boxed him silly at times.