Evgenyi Romanov. One hit wonder, or a rough diamond lost in a sea of gems?

That is the question we will be considering today.

The Russian hails from Volgograd, a place famous for its notoriety, and first came to prominence after video surfaced of him knocking out current WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

The fight was only in the amateur ranks, but the kind of power he displayed in his third-round stoppage victory is of a level none have yet matched when facing the Alabama native.

That was back in 2008, we know that Wilder is now one of the top heavyweights on the planet, but whatever happened to Evgenyi?

Well, later that year, Evgenyi came second in the Russian championships, a decent achievement considering how stacked the Russian stables are.

As proof of this, the boxer who beat him was Egor Mekhontsev, he went on to win world and European championships, as well as gold at London 2012.

Further proof comes in the form of Sergey Kovalev, another who like Evgenyi lost in the final at the 2008 Russian championships.

Kovalev is a former WBO and IBF light-heavyweight world champion, as well as the current WBO and IBA champion.

Romanov does have some impressive wins on his amateur resumé, a KO win over Pan-American champion Robert Alonso, as well as stoppages over fine amateurs like Rakhim Chakhkiev and Magomed Omarov.

Romanov, though, is someone who’s physical attributes have held him back from reaching the elite level within Russian boxing.

For a heavyweight he is undersized at six foot. His footwork and head movement are decent, and his aggressive, come-forward style benefits from this, making him adept at cutting off the ring.

He weighed in at just 217 pounds, though, in his pro-debut, which is why cruiserweight might be a better option for him.

He should have no trouble making the weight and he can reap the benefits of being a larger man in the division. He is also now 32-years-old.

After over a decade in the amateurs, he decided to turn pro in July 2016, and has since won eight straight.

It doesn’t take much digging to ascertain the true value of those wins, though. His opponents over those eight professional fights have a combined record of 81-53-6.

Not bad, but for someone as experienced as himself, it is a little disappointing to see him require quite so many introductory fights first.

If he keeps knocking people out cold, then it could continue to mask his languid style and flawed technical ability.

To stand out as a kingpin of Russian boxing, though, it will take more than just heavy hands. Which explains why Romanov never pushed on from his knockout of the Bronze Bomber.

There’s still some time left for him to make a late push for something meaningful, though.

Perhaps if he can put together another dozen wins in the next three or four years, he may be considered for a championship tilt.