Obscure Finnish Heavyweights, part II - JARI "FIREMAN" MARKKANEN

[VHB]

I hope the cream of this european section remembers how I introduced Jukka Järvinen, Finnish Rambo Hangman of the Heavyweights to you. Now I´m here again, and this time I introduce even better boxer to you guys. Part two of my "Obscure Finnish Heavyweights" topic series - Jari "Fireman" Markkanen!

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Markkanen is on the right. He is 45 years old. He became a pro with only one mission: TO CONQUER FINNISH HEAVYWEIGHT CROWN!!!

His first attempt at this ended nastily: he clearly beat Allan "Machoman" Grönfors (in the picture with him), but the judges did not agree, and after Grönfors had won, he failed a dopnig test.

Markkanen fought with Juho Haapoja for the vacant finnish belt again last year, hurting the young and capable heavyweight on several occasions, but the judges failed him again: DRAW.

Markkanen was always challenging Finnish steroid-pumped strongmen into the ring with him, because these guys thought they were real boxers. Jari whipped Tony Halme´s ass completely. Halme was WBF americas champion, Mr. Ludvig Borga. Markkanen also easily knocked out Boogie Mustonen, who was a famous bodybuilder.

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In this second pic we have Markkanen just some days ago after the beat Jarmo Malinen in his home city of Kuopio. Markkanen comfortably TKO´ed Malinen and said that he is now retired.

I´m not sure if Markkanen has now really retired, but if he isn´t, he´s still in the Finnish HW title mix with guys like Haapoja, Robert Helenius and Sami Elovaara. If Helenius wins the belt from the other guys first, maybe Markkanen could travel to Germany and challenge Helenius in Sauerland Events Fight Night...

[Antsu]

When did he beat Halme? Nothing in his record or Halmes book indicate so.

[VHB]

It was an exhibition. The fight gained media exposure at the time. It was in -98 or -99. Halme had no chance against Markkanen. I think this fight was made as exhibition to protect Halme´s record from tarnishment. Markkanen won by TKO easily. It was in Kuopio, I think.

[VHB]

To put it short, this guy beat all Finnish guys who weren´t good or decent in boxing.

He also got a draw with Haapoja. To Elovaara and Grönfors he lost, but on points. And Grönfors failed a doping test, so it was NC. Nobody ever knocked out Markkanen. And he knocked out everybody who could not box. IMO Markkanen could have won something even outside Finland, had he turned pro 10 years earlier. He never had an actual pro career with regular matchmaking and stuff. All his title fights took place in his 40´s.

Markkanen had a good punch, he could also move more than most of his opponents. When he got in trouble, he found a way to survive. He made all bad opponents really look bad. His pro record is 3-1-1-1 (1).

If all exhibitions would be added to that record, you could add at least the wins over Halme, Mustonen, Malinen, Murikka...

I remember watching with my mouth open the way he dominated Halme. Halme had been a destructive slugger within the finnish ranks and world fringe level.

[Antsu]

It was an exhibition. The fight gained media exposure at the time. It was in -98 or -99. Halme had no chance against Markkanen. I think this fight was made as exhibition to protect Halme´s record from tarnishment. Markkanen won by TKO easily. It was in Kuopio, I think.

Thanks. :good
I remembered that there was some buzz in media about the fight, but when it wasn’t in his record. I thought that fight was never made

Funny that Halme didn’t but that in his book.

[VHB]

My guess is that Halme doesn´t really want to talk about that fight, since there isn´t any excuses to make. Markkanen dominated him. His mobility and defence were good.