15 Facts About Vassiliy Jirov

Vassiliy Jirov was a tough man, but if you look at life, at that energy of life, its pressure would simply eat you up.

Vassiliy Jirov taught me to go all the way, no matter what.

In 1991, Vassiliy Jirov, who was yet at the junior age class, didn't win the USSR Championship in Saratov however he received an invitation to the USSR youth team.

In December 1996, Vassiliy Jirov travelled to the United States, where he signed a contract with boxing promoter Bob Arum and began his career as a professional boxer.

Vassiliy Jirov was awarded the Val Barker Trophy for outstanding performance at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Vassiliy Jirov made his debut as a professional on 18 January 1997, with a two-round knockout of Vince Brown in Las Vegas.

Vassiliy Jirov won eleven fights that first year, all by knockout, including wins over Exum Speight and Art Jimmerson.

In 1999, Vassiliy Jirov was given his first world title try: In front of an HBO Boxing audience, he beat IBF world Cruiserweight champion Arthur Williams by a knockout in seven rounds at Biloxi, Mississippi, to become that organization's world cruiserweight champion.

On 6 February 2001, Vassiliy Jirov went to Kazakhstan to defend his crown in his home-country for the first time.

Vassiliy Jirov won three more fights that year, one a world title affair against Julian Letterlough.

In 2002 Vassiliy Jirov, then managed by the Sugar Ray Leonard promotion company, defended his crown once that year, beating former world Middleweight champion Jorge Castro of Argentina by a 12-round decision on 1 February at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix.

However, negotiations took long and Vassiliy Jirov spent more than one year outside the ring, time in which the IBF threatened to take away recognition of Vassiliy Jirov as world champion if he did not defend his crown soon.

Vassiliy Jirov was beaten by Moorer via TKO in the ninth round.

Vassiliy Jirov's next fight was against former heavyweight and cruiserweight contender Orlin Norris.

On 14 July 2007 Vassiliy Jirov defeated Kenny 'The Raven' Craven by TKO in second round of 10 round scheduled bout.