Boris Malenko

At 61 years old, Boris Malenko has this physical status:

Early life

Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in Irvington, New Jersey. Simon performed in amateur wrestling in the United Kingdom as a youth. He served as a truck driver in New York City's Garment District long before he became a professional wrestler.

Personal life

Dean and Jody, Simon's Jewish sons, became professional wrestlers. He died of leukemia in September 1994.

Source

Professional wrestling career

Simon made his professional debut in 1955 as "Larry Simon," wrestling in the Eastern United States. He joined Big Time Wrestling in Dallas, Texas, under the ring name "Crusher Duggan," winning the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship later that year.

Simon unsuccessfully challenged Buddy Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 19, 1961.

Simon was active in the American Wrestling Association in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in September 1961. He adopted "Otto Von Krupp," a German wrestler who wore jackboots and a swastika on his back. Simon formed a tag team with Bob Geigel in November 1961, winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship in November 1961, and staying it until Simon left the sport in January 1962.

Simon adopted the name of "Boris Malenko," a Soviet Union agent, based on Cold War tensions. He was occasionally referred to as "The Great Malenko"; a pun, with "Malenko" being Russian for "little" or "Professor Malenko" being a male. He began his career in South Florida, where his gimmick made him a despised heel among the Cuban population. He dominated the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship twice, the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship twice, the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version) twice, and the NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) eight times over the next decade. Eddie Graham, Wahoo McDaniel, Johnny Valentine, Joe Scarpa, and José Lothario were among his main rivals. Eddie Graham stormed the ring and spit Malenko's dentures out of his mouth, then crushed them in a scene from 1966.

Malenko retired from Big Time Wrestling in 1970, where he won the NWA American Heavyweight Championship and the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship. He had a tense rivalry with Wahoo McDaniel, with McDaniel defeating him in a hair versus hair contest in July 1970. In the Astrodome, a match between the two teams set a new attendance record. McDaniel defeated Malenko in a loser leaves town match in December 1970, marking his demise from the sport. During his time with Big Time Wrestling, Lord Charles Montegue took care of him.

Malenko and Bob Roop defeated Bearcat Wright and Bobby Shane to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship on May 9, 1972, and then six days later, Malenko defeated Wright in singles competition to win his eighth and final Florida Brass Knuckles title in Orlando. Malenko and Johnny Weaver defeated Mike Webster and The Professional in their second attempt at the Florida Tag Team Championships on June 24, 1972.

In 1973 and 1974, Malenko toured Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Malenko fought in a string of high-profile bouts with Antonio Inoki during his time with NJPW.

Malenko competed for the Knoxville, Tennessee-based Southeastern Championship Wrestling Championship, winning both the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) and the NWA Southeastern Television Championship in 1978. Jerry Blackwell became the boss of Jerry Blackwell's family farm after it was announced that he had acquired the mortgage to Blackwell's family farm, requiring him to fight on his behalf. After Ron Garvin paid off the mortgage, Blackwell was able to strike Malenko, escaping Malenko.

Malenko founded a training school in Florida with his sons Dean and Joe, who retired in 1980.

Source