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US heavyweight boxer Shewmaker open to idea of becoming Russian citizen

"I would be honored to have dual citizenship over here and meet [Russian President Vladimir] Putin himself. That would be awesome," Sam Shewmaker said

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. US heavyweight boxer Sam Shewmaker, who is currently in Russia, told TASS on Monday that he would be glad to become a Russian citizen and meet with President Vladimir Putin.

The US fighter arrived on his very first visit to Russia on Sunday to fight Russian boxer Dmitry Kudryashov. The US and Russian heavyweight boxers are scheduled to square off on April 27 in the city of Vladikavkaz, in Russia’s republic of North Ossetia, and on Monday they both attended a press conference in TASS.

Asked by a TASS correspondent on the sidelines of the press conference whether Shewmaker would like to become a Russian citizen, the American replied in the affirmative.

"I would be honored to have dual citizenship over here and meet [Russian President Vladimir] Putin himself. That would be awesome."

The 38-year-old American, known as the "Hillbilly Hammer," holds a professional boxing record of five wins (0 KOs) and one defeat (by KO) in addition to his numerous bare-knuckle fights.

His 37-year-old opponent from Russia, known as the ‘Russian Hammer’ has 31 career professional fights to his credit (25 wins with 24 KOs and six defeats with three KOs).

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