Irkutsk native Igor Mikhalkin successfully defended his European boxing title in France in the light heavyweight division, confidently defeating local athlete Hugo Kasperski after 12 rounds. The judges unanimously gave the win to the Russian, and the fight went with a clear advantage for Mikhalkin. The article also tells about his sports path from his first steps in kickboxing to bright successes in the amateur and professional ring.
30-year-old Irkutsk native Igor Mikhalkin defended the European light heavyweight boxing title in France.The Russian boxer’s opponent was 28-year-old Frenchman Hugo Kasperski. The bout went the full 12 rounds and was marked by a clear advantage for the Russian boxer. At the end of the fight, all three judges awarded the victory to the Irkutsk native, with scores of 117-111 twice and 116-113.
Background: Igor Mikhalkin was born on May 31, 1985, in Irkutsk into the family of the well-known Soviet boxer Gennady Mikhalkin. At the age of nine, he joined a kickboxing section, then switched to boxing. He achieved his first success in the ring in 2003, when, in the light heavyweight division, he won the Russia vs. Cuba team match, won the European Junior Championship, and the Nikiforov-Denisov Memorial Cup. For these achievements, he was awarded the title of Master of Sport of International Class. Igor’s first professional fight took place in November 2007; after signing a contract with the German promotional company Universum Box-Promotion, he defeated Slovak Stefan Stanko by technical knockout in the second round.