NYF Prospect Watch: Vladimir Shishkin

No American promoter is using the Russia to US pipe-line like Dmitriy Salita is.

Every other week it feels like, Salita Promotions has another prospect in the fold.

This time, it’s a super middleweight…

8-0 Vladimir Shishkin is his name; age 27, and he seems to be a on a fast track up the ladder. For that reason, NYFights checked up on the hitter, to try and get a better sense of who he is, where he comes from, and where, perhaps, he might elevate to.

Shishkin was born in the Saratov region, in the village of Stepnoye, in Russia. Shishkin’s mother, Anna, works as a registered nurse at hospital and father Igor works for an oil company, as a driller. Sister Irina works at a bank.

And how did he get into this sport?

“My uncle brought me to the boxing, I was 11 years old, there was only soccer and boxing in the village, the choice was obvious. There in Russia it’s still tough and there is danger, especially in the villages, so I had to stand up for myself. Also girls in Russia choose the strongest boy and I like girls!”

What about his amateur track record? “My amateur career was difficult, I did all the competition at my own expense, my family was very poor, there was no money, I could not go abroad, I did not go outside the Saratov region to train. Despite that I became the champion of Russia under the age of 19. At one national tournament I got noticed and got offered to enter the School of Olympic Reserve that is the number one boxing and sports academy in Russia. Its alumni are Zauerbek Baysangurov and Artur Beterbiev and other champs! So I started to grow very quick, I started winning open class men’s tournaments one by one. I was selected for the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, I was the best prospect from Russia 330 fights, 301 wins.” He lost, in his first bout, and doesn’t agree with the decision. An appeal was turned down, he related.

“I dreamed of getting to the Olympic Games, but when faced with amateur boxing I realized that everything was corrupt there. I don’t want to talk to much about it…. Over time, the desire left me. But I looked at the American stars, like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, Floyd Mayweather, but it seemed to me an (unlikely) dream. Then, I met a new trainer, Galeev Alexey, one day, who offered me to perform as a pro, and I gladly agreed.”

In 2016, he made his debut in the professional ring, in Riga, Latvia, winning by KO.

So, at what level is he at now? “In my opinion, my professional boxing carrier is only developing, but I was waiting six months between fights and more because I had no promoter. I was on B side on most fights. I won two belts, WBA Asia and WBA continental, but was not satisfied! I could be a world champion with the right promoter. And finally I find one. Dmitriy Salita signed me, and believes in me!”

One thing that stands out, when you see his Boxrec, in his last fight, he met 46 fight vet Nadjib Mohammedi. That seems to indicate a certain level of skills…

“The last fight with Mohammedi gave me a lot of lessons, I really understood what professional boxing is, the clinches, the rationale, and for the first time I felt the long distance of 10 rounds, I remember this fight most of all!”

And if we haven’t seen him box, what style does he bring to the table? “My style is to box, use speed and movement, I grew up in the words of Muhammed Ali — “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! There is a lot to learn, for example, how to fight in close distance, how to clinch, I want to be in it like Andre Ward! I think America will teach me a lot, I think that it is a lucky ticket to a new life. I want to become an absolute undisputed champion. Now I’m talking about 168, maybe I will go up in other weight divisions, why not? I want to leave a big mark in boxing! At the moment I am training with an honored coach of Russia-Alexei Galeyev, with whom we won belts, in a great school. With cooperation with the new promotional company, Salita Promotions, I think my dreams will come true!”