Vladimir Nikitin - boxer from Russia in the bantamweight (nickname "BARON"). Member of the Russian national team since 2009, 3rd place at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 2nd place at the World Championships (Alma-Ata 2013) and 3rd at the European Championship (Minsk 2013). In 2012, 2014 and 2015 he became the champion of Russia in the lightweight boxing (56 kilograms). The growth of the athlete is 169 centimeters.
Boxer biography, childhood and youth
Born on March 25 in 1990 in the urban-type settlement Verkhnyaya Maksakovka (Komi Republic, Russia). After a while, together with his family he moved to a permanent place of residence in the city of Stary Oskol (Belgorod Region). He was brought up in an ordinary family - his father worked as a blacksmith in a factory, and his mother was an accountant. Once his father gave him a children's boxing set - a punching bag and gloves. Then Vladimir was only five years old, but he quickly fell in love with this occupation - to box on a punching bag.
Soon, the boy began to be interested in the career of famous boxers. In his room there were posters of Mike Tyson, Lenox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and many others. In addition to boxing, the guy also loved football and tennis. At some point, he was faced with the choice of what kind of sport to start practicing. However, despite some inclinations in football and tennis, Nikitin was devoted to boxing and dreamed of getting to the Olympic Games as a participant. However, he achieved everything he wanted. When the boy was 9 years old, he was taken to the local sports section, where he began to engage in boxing.
Acquaintance with boxing and the first training
From the first days of training, he began to demonstrate good skills. Young Vladimir Nikitin grabbed everything on the fly, for which he was a priority for coaches. The guy did not miss a single lesson and every day he honed his skills. He had lightning speed and threw quick crushing blows. During the sparring Nikitin picked the most serious opponents, regardless of what weight category they are from. Soon he was transferred to Comprehensive Children and Youth School No. 1 (Syktyvkar), where he trained with M. A. Martynov (USSR master of sports in boxing, Honored Trainer of the USSR).
The first serious success was achieved in 2004, when the athlete won gold at the Russian Championship among youths.
Vladimir Nikitin-box, professional career
In 2009, 2010, and 2011, he became a bronze medalist in the adult Russian boxing championship up to 56 kilograms. In 2012, for the first time he won a gold medal at the Russian Championship. In the same year, Vladimir Nikitin participated in the European Youth Boxing Championship in Kaliningrad, in which he won first place.
International success
The most successful season in Nikita’s career was in 2013, when he was awarded the right to defend the honor of the country at the European Championship in Belarus (Minsk), and after a while at the World Championships in Kazakhstan (Alma-Ata). In these tournaments, he won the bronze and silver medals, respectively. At the European Championship, Nikitin reached the semifinals, where he lost on points to the Irishman John Joe Nevin, and in the world series reached the finals and lost to Javid Celebiev of Azerbaijan. In 2014, he again became the winner of the Russian Boxing Championship in the lightest weight category.
Since 2012, Vladimir has become a regular participant in WSB matches (“world series of box”). Here, in the 2013/14 season, he managed to reach the playoff stage, where in the ¼ final stage he defeated the Ukrainian boxer Nikolai Butsenko. In the semifinals, Nikitin easily defeated the Cuban Norlan Yeroy. However, despite the bright victories of Vladimir, in the overall standings, the Russian boxing team lost to the Cuban national team and they went further. In the regular season 2015/16, Vladimir Nikitin went out to box six times out of seven provided for the Russian team, in which he managed to win. Thanks to such statistics, he was recognized as the best boxer in bantamweight, due to which the athlete received the right to participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Vladimir Nikitin - 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
The debut performance at the Olympics was successful. Russian boxer coped with his rivals, as in training. At a fast pace, he managed to reach the semifinals, where American Shakur Stevenson was waiting for him. However, Vladimir could not enter the battle due to the injury he received in the quarterfinals. Thus, he automatically received a bronze medal.
For a brilliant performance at the Olympics received the title of "Honored Master of Sports of Russia".