Egis Klimas, who notably manages Sergey Kovalev and Vasyl Lomachenko, as well as a loaded stable of talented prospects from Eastern Europe, has a compelling backstory. Watch Melissa Stark’s feature on Klimas, which aired on HBO’s The Fight Game, right here.
With boxing fans gearing up for Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward on November 19, it’s easy to forget — or block out — the winding road that finally led to the fight. Kovalev, especially, has had a difficult time securing marquee bouts (most notably with Adonis Stevenson), but don’t blame his promoters or management. Main Events and Egis Klimas have the Krusher’s best interests at heart.
With Kovalev-Ward finally on the horizon, Egis Klimas has reached a professional pinnacle of sorts, which is all the more remarkable when one considers that he came to the United States in the late 1980s from Lithuania — unable to speak English and with $42 to his name.
But Klimas, through dogged determination, worked his way up from pizza delivery man to one of boxing’s most influential managers. This is a man who refused to use his allotted food stamps when he first arrived in America, and who has become so successful due to his ability to foster genuine trust with the fighters he manages.
Egis Klimas is also a visionary of sorts. He’s capitalized on his connections in Eastern Europe to guide the professional careers of some of the world’s top amateurs. With boxing reduced to a marginal sport in the United States, Klimas also understands that the ground is ironically fertile to introduce international fighters to North American audiences — a savvy move that extends beyond stars like Kovalev and Lomachenko.
Interestingly, Egis Klimas tells Melissa Stark that he’s still working on attaining the American Dream when outward signs point to him already having achieved it. When you think about it, though, it’s a wise line of thinking. Klimas has scrapped and clawed for everything in his life, and it’s that attitude that will keep him thriving in boxing’s shifting landscape well after Sergey Kovalev has retired.
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