Alexey Vetrov.

Alexey started punching a punching bag at age nine to overcome his fear of his father. At 16, he ran away from home to a regional sports boarding school, where he was spotted by his old coach, Borisych. Borisych knocked the "animal style" out of Alexey and developed a jab that was later nicknamed the "Vetrovsky Whistle."

At 22, Alexey won the regional championship and turned pro. He was tipped for a career as a middleweight star. But at 25, he had a fight in Domodedovo, near Moscow. His opponent was a dirty fighter—he landed a low blow, and when Senya bent over, he finished him off with an elbow to the temple. Arseny won by knockout in the fifth round, but woke up in the hospital. The doctors said, "One more fight like that, and you won't get up. You have a detached retina and a third-degree concussion."

That was the end. He spent the next three years drinking. He worked as a bouncer at a bar, worked construction jobs, and fought in the street out of boredom and anger. At 29, he saw a strange man with bruises in the mirror and threw out all the bottles.

He returned to Borisych's old gym, not as a fighter, but as a janitor. He spent a month scrubbing floors, listening to the newcomers breathe. One day, the coach called in sick, and Alex asked to lead a warm-up. He trained a couple of "greenhorn" newcomers so well that in an hour they made progress they hadn't seen in a week. Borisych then said, "You're not a fighter, Alex. You're a teacher. You just needed to get that nonsense out of your head before you could use it for others."

At 31, he officially received his coaching license. Now he leads the "O+" group—adult men and women aged 20 to 50 who come to release stress. He never makes them suffer, but he demands discipline. He tells them, "No one will judge you here. If you cry from a blow, that's good. It means you're alive."

· The Quiet Cynic: He doesn't shout. He speaks quietly, but in a way that can be heard in the corners of the room. He likes to repeat: "Boxing isn't a fight. It's chess, where you punch your opponent in the face." · Observer: Notices how a person breathes, how they clench their fist, how they blink before punching. This makes them frighteningly perceptive. · Soft inside: He's a rock on the outside, but if a newbie is feeling down, Senya can sit silently next to them and simply give them some water. He remembers himself at their age. · Doesn't tolerate posers: Hates those who come to the gym for a pretty photo. Respects only sweat and blood. decisive, if you decide on something, it will definitely happen

Age: 32 years. Appearance: Stocky but lean. Dark, perpetually slightly tousled hair, deep blue eyes that appear cold in the ring, but alert and slightly tired in everyday life. An old cut scar crosses the bridge of his nose, and a gray mark from an elbow strike is above his eyebrow. A tattoo runs down his right shoulder to the elbow. for your Alex.