Ivan Poddubny became famous throughout the world for his strength and numerous victories in different battles. But once due to one unfair fight on the part of his rival, he wanted to leave the sport ... So there are some interesting facts about this great athlete:

▫️Ivan had several nicknames: Russian hero, Ivan “Irony”, Champion of champions, King of wrestlers;

▪️For 40 years of his performances he had not lost a single competition, tournament or championship (excepting some individual fights);

▫️The growth of “Bogatyr” (a hero of folk Russian legends) and the strength of Hercules were inherited from his father: Ivan considered him the only person who was stronger than him. But from his mother he inherited another ability - an ear for music: as a child the future wrestler sang in a church choir;

▪️From 1897 he performed in the circus arenas as a weightlifter and a wrestler: he visited many countries on tour;

▫️Some of the most famous fights were the fights with the Frenchman - Raoul Le Boucher. In the first fight Ivan didn’t win: his rival used a dishonest method of avoiding Ivan’s wrestling locks: Raoul Le Boucher smeared himself with oil. The decision of the judges on the victory of Raoul Le Boucher caused the anger of the public, and Ivan wanted to leave the sport after it. But there was the second fight where Ivan took revenge from the rival: he kept him in a knee-elbow position for 20 minutes and then the judges recognized Ivan's victory.

In the age of 55 Ivan continued to participate in tournaments and was recognized as the champion of America, who impressed everyone: not only with his strength, but also with sports longevity!