Ignashov Alexey Viktorovich ("Red Scorpion"), eight-time world champion in Thai boxing: the best battles

The Belarusian school of Thai boxing is known all over the world. Even the ancestors of this single combat recognized that the fighters of this European country are really excellent masters of fighting in the rack. The article will deal with a man named Alexei Viktorovich Ignashov, who is one of their athletes who have achieved high achievements in Thai boxing.

Biographical information

The future star of world sports was born in Minsk on January 18, 1978. At the age of fifteen, Ignashov Alex entered the Higher Professional College of Builders, where he studied for a carpenter-tiler, carpenter, woodcarver. In 1996, he finished coaching courses in martial arts at the corresponding faculty at the Belarusian State Institute of Physical Education. Two years later he received the title of master of sports of international class. As for higher education, his Ignashov Alexey received him as a psychologist-historian. In the period 2012-2016 he studied in Moscow at the University of Synergy at the Faculty of Sport Management.

The beginning of sports life

Already at the age of 14, Alexey Ignashov began to intensively engage in physical training in a wide variety of sports sections. Since 1994, the young man has fully devoted himself to Thai boxing. His first training place was the club "Sintiao", and the first coach - Garadilov Igor Borisovich. In 1998, the sportsman turns to train Andrei Gridin in the Chinook sports club. According to the fighter, it was Gridin who became the real founder of Thai boxing in Belarus.

First exit

The debut in the professional ring for the Belarusians was not very successful. In his first fight he lost to the legendary Dutchman Remi Bonjarski. As the "Red Scorpion" recalls, in that duel he decently fought and defended all the allotted rounds with this outstanding rival. However, after the fight, Alexei experienced severe pain in his legs, and the next morning they swelled up so that the athlete could barely put on his jeans.

The first title

In the summer of 1999, the Belarusian taoboxer became the world champion for the first time in a rather prestigious version of WMC. His opponent in the fight for the belt was the Swede Jørgen Krut, whom Ignashov knocked out in the second round. This was Alexey's first serious achievement at the professional level.

Fight with Kaman

October 24, 1999 Alexey Viktorovich Ignashov met in Amsterdam with retired and spent his last fight with Rob Kaman. That the Belarusian lost the referee's decision, but after the announcement of the verdict the Dutchman came up and personally raised his hand to Alexei, thereby recognizing him as the winner, and wished him patience and perseverance on his sports path.

Controversial Loss

April 2, 2001 "Red Scorpion" fought with Stefan Leko. According to Ignashov, the German was excellently ready to fight physically and moved superbly around the ring. At a certain point in the battle, Alexei began to literally knead his opponent and in one of the episodes struck a knee, which the referee considered as illegal and decided to disqualify the Belarusian. However, this outcome did not affect the relationship between the fighters, and after the battle, Leko himself approached Alexei, that to communicate in an informal atmosphere, thereby showing his respect.

About battles

Almost all the battles of Alexei Ignashov - a bright spectacle, regardless of the outcome. In his youth the Belarusian spent 10 and sometimes more fights for the year, which is a very high indicator for a professional fighter. As the athlete himself says, many of his colleagues in the shop simply wondered how he finds the strength to enter the ring so often. A well-known fighter in the past, Peter Arts, and at all called Alexei crazy.

A few words about MMA

Our hero is an eightfold world champion in Thai boxing, but this does not prevent him from performing in mixed fights. In the octagon, he fought three fights, one of which won, one lost, and another was declared invalid.

Alexei is even familiar with the Gracie family, and with one of the brothers practiced wrestling technique, as a result of which Ignashov realized how necessary it is in the modern martial arts world.

About Japan

In one of his numerous interviews, Alexei confessed that the Japanese are the most loyal and at the same time dangerous fans. In his life there was a case when he was even prepared borscht in his hotel room. However, there were also dangerous situations when a crowd of fans literally almost tore him to pieces after one of the tournaments. Protection of the sports complex saved the trouble.

Moving to New Zealand

In 2007, Ignashov Alexey moved to New Zealand. In his own words, the choice to this country fell not accidentally. Firstly, in this state he was well known, there is an ideal base for training, and secondly, his native land was far away, and nothing distracted him from his work. Over time, the athlete has friends, including the world-famous boxer David Tua, rugby player John Lomu and many others. In addition, New Zealand is geographically close to Japan and America, which is very convenient for a professional Thai boxer.

About religion

Ignashov is an Orthodox Christian. As he himself claims, religion did not come immediately. The favorite church in Minsk is the Church of the Nativity of Christ. At one time he visited Afon, and not long before Easter. There he crossed with astronauts who, while in space, saw a fiery ray emanating from Athos, and therefore decided to personally visit this holy mountain.

Nickname

His battle nickname Ignashov received due to the presence of a stripe on his underpants in the form of a red scorpion. In many ways, this nickname was also given to the Belarusian because he knocked out his opponents with one blow, that is, the fighters fell like scorpion victims, dying from his sting.

Alexei was largely famous for his powerful knee blows, which he actively used to win battles with such giants as Nicholas Pettas and Carter Williams. Ignashova was considered one of the most talented kickboxers on the planet. Until May 2016, he was the only person who managed to knock out Sammy Schilt. However, at the same time, the Belarusian is a very unstable fighter who episodically showed a very faded, listless, apathetic box. A vivid example of this can serve as his duel with Peter Arts in the quarter-final of K-1 in 2003.

In the period 2009-2010, Alexei fought again with Schilt and Badr Hari and, unfortunately, lost both to them, although several years before that he had confidently defeated them. But in any case, Ignashov is a living legend of the world kickboxing, and fighting with him in one ring is a great honor for most young kickboxers.