After 26 years the first meeting of the two, great world class amateur boxers Serik Konakbaev (USSR, Kazakhstan) and Mark Breland (USA).

After attending the amateur boxing world championships in Chicago, November, 2007 Serik and I looked forward to meeting each other again in NYC in February, 2008.

Mark Breland and I have been friends since I came to America, so when I was sure Serik was coming to New York; I wanted to arrange for them to meet again. After all this time, Mark Breland is still famous in the countries that comprised the former USSR. In Munich, Germany in 1982 Mark Breland became known as the sensational boxer who beat Serik Konakbaev, a man considered to be one of the best boxers in the world. 

Two of the Brightest stars of Amateur Boxing: Mark Breland & Serik KonakbaevTwo of the Brightest stars of Amateur Boxing: Mark Breland & Serik Konakbaev

I remember one episode from the 80’s, that took place before Serik left for training camp to prepare for the 1982 World Championships in Munich. After work out one day, Serik and I sat the dressing room of our boxing gym in Jambul (now Taraz), Kazakhstan, talking. Serik told me then that he planned to bring home the Gold Medal from the upcoming championship because last year he had beaten everyone who participated against him, including USSR vs. USA Duals.  He was so sure he’d win, that he was ready to replace the car the government had given him for winning the Silver Medal in the 1980, Moscow Olympic games with the car he was convinced he’d win now.

It’s true that from the beginning of the competitions in Munich, everything went perfectly for Serik. In the first bout he beat the tournament favorite from Cuba, Jose Luis Hernandez; the road to the Gold was clear. Serik never even paid attention to the young guy from America who had also destroyed everybody he fought in the finals. This young man was Mark Breland; and in the end, he blocked Serik Konakbaev’s easy path to the Gold.