Alexander Karelin

[widge milward]

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/othe...-his-opponents

Good read, true legend!

[ocuana]

Fu88ing incredible man. Nice post Widge

[Zanmato]

Does anyone have any footage of Karelin in action? I am surprised at how hard it is to find his matches online considering the high level he competed at for such a large period of time.

My mind boggles at how good the man was, it's incredible.

The Russian brought a rare combination of strength and athleticism to the sport; he said he once carried a refrigerator up the stairs to an eighth-floor apartment; but he also could extend his leg over his head and, while standing on the other leg, touch the ceiling with his toes.

!?!?

Also, anyone know anything about this guy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Watanabe

Retired 186-0, without losing a single point, and won a gold medal at the olympics.

[sly fox]

Also, anyone know anything about this guy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Watanabe

Retired 186-0, without losing a single point, and won a gold medal at the olympics.

Absolutely amazing record!

[fishface]

Great article on an awesome wrestler

Way way back in 1994, training at the wrestling club in Bolton, there hangs a poster adverrtising Asics, title 'Train Like a Madman' and it has Karelin pictured ready to launch a guy into the air, his arms are huge and his face is sheer intensity (still there today).

There is a famous quote of his, to really train like a madman and this poster has been my inspiration to train when ever I feel tired and I so badly wanted a copy for my gym.

It took me til last year to get a copy of the poster from Dan Gable's website and it's proudly up on the wall at my gym, the photo is amazing, he looks demented and you KNOW his opponent is going for Air Miles

Nice find Widge

F

[kieron w]

there's highlights on youtube mate thats about all i've seen mate

[ocuana]

dailymotion has some karelin footage - full fights.

[jonbroster]

Nice article - except the picture caption says that he is on the right, but he is actually on the left.

I can remember seeing him on VHS at the worlds around '95; he won in the final by technical superiority, just picked his opponent and threw him off the mat!

When Mark Coleman was at the height of his UFC career he was asked who he would like to fight; without hesitation he said "Karelin" and then "I wouldn't actually like to fight him, but I'd love to see him in the UFC."