My old friend Sergey Kudrayvtsev traveled all the way from Kaliningrad, Russia to Chicago. Sergey was already the Soviet Union, Jr. Olympics Champion when I took my first step in boxing. That was in Kazakhstan in 1976.  This time Sergey brought his student, Silver Medalist, Alexey Shaydulin, who represented Bulgaria in the 2005 World Championship.

(left to right) Sergey Kudrayvtsev, Michael Kozlowski, Bolat Mankenov(left to right) Sergey Kudrayvtsev, Michael Kozlowski, Bolat Mankenov

This was the first time in twenty five years I’d seen Bolat Mankenov, my team mate from Kazakhstan.  In the 1980’s we spent a lot of time together in training camps in the Soviet Union.

With the National Director of Coaches of Kazakhstan Bolat MankenovWith the National Director of Coaches of Kazakhstan Bolat Mankenov