Summary
Alexander Volg, known as Zangief, is the World Amateur Champion and a handsome boxer from Russia who initially excels at outboxing and point accumulation. However, his style shifts to a vicious infighting approach after moving to Japan, a change that leaves him visibly depressed in the eyes of Ippo. Raised by a single mother in a small town near St. Petersburg, Volg originally took up boxing to fund medical care for his seriously ill mother, who bears a striking resemblance to Hiroko Makunouchi but with longer, reddish hair. Following consecutive losses to both Ippo and Sendou, Volg was forced to leave the Otawa Gym and return to Russia to stay by his mother’s side until her death. Beyond his exceptional outboxing skills, Volg’s primary weapon is a vertical combination known as the "White Fang," which consists of a short, quick left uppercut followed by an incredibly fast and powerful chopping right. He later returns to Japan to retrieve his old boxing gloves from Ippo before the latter heads to America, and during this visit, he assists Ippo in training for his upcoming match against Sawamura Ryuhei. Volg eventually travels to America to compete on the world stage, and under the guidance of Dankichi Hama, he rises to become the fourth-ranked IBF Jr. Lightweight fighter. Volg’s personality is defined by humility and politeness, yet he admits he does not truly enjoy boxing because he dislikes the fact that it causes pain to others. His coach has noted that his greatest weakness is his kindness, which causes him to hold back during matches. Volg initially participated solely to support his ill mother but eventually discovers a genuine passion for the sport. A recurring gag early in his story involves his rusty Japanese; this is highlighted when Ippo meets him in the subway, where Volg struggles to read kanji and subsequently gets into trouble with other native Japanese speakers for the same reason.
