Denis Boytsov

Age: 19

Record: 11-0 (11 KO)

Height: 6'1

Weight: 215 lbs

Hometown: Hamburg, Germany

When I first read about Denis Boytsov, you could say I was a bit skeptical. Good amateur pedigree, rock-hard physique, and the looks that would make you wonder if he'd be better a fit in an Abercrombie catalogue, not Ring Magazine. Sounded like your run of the mill European heavyweight to me, has all the looks of a champion, but ultimately destined to be put on his back as soon as his promoters match him with a live body. Well my grandpa always told me "Never judge a book by its cover" and it looks like he was right again. Because when I first actually watched Boytsov fight, I was blown away.

Denis Boytsov turned pro in September 2004 at the age of 18. He would go 4-0 before the year was over, all by knockout within the second round, but against relatively soft competition. The beginning of 2005 was a bit shaky for the young heavyweight, as he would go 2-0 before taking a four-month absence because of an injury. He returned to close the year strong with a 5-0 run, but against limited opposition. The final two bouts of the year have to be considered his strongest performances. A first round knockout of Ihar Shukala (15-3), and a devastating second round knockout of journeyman heavyweight Zoltan Petranyi (28-16).

There's really only one heavyweight you can compare Boytsov to, and that's Mike Tyson. The similarities in their fighting styles are remarkable. Boytsov has absolutely no jab in his arsenal, he'll often just throw it out to find his range, but that's about it. He bobs from side-to-side when going to unload an attack inside. His hooks are just plain nasty! Bad Intentions isn't a strong enough term in this kid's case. All his bodyweight goes into his hooks, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but it hasn't hurt him yet. Miss with a hook like that, and even a stiff jab would put him down because of his poor balance. Does a good job of continually going to the body and wearing opponents down. That can't be said for many of today's heavyweights, but bodywork seems to be a recurring trait in many of the up and coming European prospects.

Although he's only 19, hasn't truly been tested, and seems to be a bit one-dimensional, I'd have to say that Denis Boytsov looks to have the potential to be a great champion one day. You probably won't seen him fighting Stateside anytime soon, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him make an appearance on Showtime's popular ShoBox series before the year is over. With two fights already scheduled for February and March respectively, you can expect Boytsov to become a hot name around the boxing world in 2006.

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