The coach of former world champion Colin McMillan says that up and upcoming boxer Denis Denikaev possesses the same drive and work ethic that McMillan did back when he was boxing.
Future Star
Denis Denikaev is a super lightweight boxer who is currently undefeated with a record of six wins and one draw. He trains with Dave Slader in Dagenham, and Sadler has history of training world champions.
The 24-year-old Denikaev hails from Lithuania but currently resides in Barking. He is more known for his technical style of boxing, rather than his heavy hitting as he has a KO ratio of just 14%.
Future Star?
But just two years on from his debut, being young, undefeated and touted as a star, Denikaev definitely fits the billing of “remember the name”.
We spoke with him and coach Dave Sadler about his current form and where he wants to go in his career. Sadler sees Denikaev as a future world champion with the work ethic that he possesses combined with his talent and overall desire to be the best.
Sadler stated that many other talented boxers that have a lot of but do not want to commit and put in the hard work and dedication required to make it to the top.
Committed To The Cause
When asked what’s the biggest similarity between both Denikaev and McMillan, Sadler said “Both Colin and Denis, never missed training nights, they were always in the gym”.
Later in the interview we found out that Denis is in the gym twice a day and six times a week, amplifying just how committed he is to reach the pinnacle.
With this type of training and dedication, it feels it’s only Coronavirus that has slightly halted his progression and can stop Denikaev from winning a title anytime soon. No one has been able to match the undefeated Denikaev so far and with his coach comparing him to a former world champion, Denikaev has a bright future ahead of him. If he continues training at this level of intensity and a couple more wins under his belt, he could be intention for a championship fight.
Colin McMillan is a former professional boxer who had a nine-year career stemming from 1988 to 1997 winning the British featherweight title, Commonwealth title and the WBO featherweight title across the years.
With Denikaev having the same trainer as McMillan and being compared to him, will he reach the same heights as the person he is predicted to emulate, or will he simply be a story of what could have been? Destiny awaits.
