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Doncho Kolev Danev () (26 December 1892 – 27 March 1940), better known by the ring name Dan Kolov (), was a Bulgarian professional wrestler born in Sennik, Bulgaria who was the first European freestyle wrestling champion from Bulgaria. He is also famously known for rejecting the offer to become a bodyguard for one of the most powerful mobsters in history Al Capone
He also won the European gold in 1936 in the championship in Paris, which was the second distinction for Bulgaria after the world title of Nikola Petrov (Greco-Roman wrestling) from 1900.
He was inducted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2020.
Before being discovered and trained to be a professional wrestler by Zbyszko Cyganiewicz, Kolov was self-taught. Kolov was the first wrestler who captured professional world heavyweight wrestling championship's "Diamond Belt" twice. His most famous victories are: in New York vs. Rudy Dusek (1919), in Tokyo vs. Jiki Higen "The Strangler" (1921) and in Paris vs. Henri Deglane (1933). He was also three times European Heavyweight Champion (1934, 1937, 1937). In 1937, Kolov defeated then European Heavyweight Champion, American Al Pereira, only for Pereira to win the title back and for Kolov to reclaim it, before losing it in turn to Joe Savoldi.
He started his career as a wrestler by taking part in the organised wrestling matches between the workers. He later won the tournament in the circus "Victoria" in 1914, when the director of the circus invited people from the public to compete and check their physical power with the star Jeff Lawrence "The Cyclope". Kolov accepted the challenge and he succeeded in overpowering the 233 pound wrestler. He won against many famous wrestlers from that time such as Jeff Lawrence, Stanislaus Zbyszko, Jack Shirey (also called "The Lightning Man"), Rudy Dusek, Jo Stecker, Ed "Strangler" Lewis and Jim Browning.
Having returned home, he spent most of his time establishing wrestling clubs by training young people, but continued to compete professionally until the last years of his life. He also arranged many wrestling matches in Sofia and donated all the profits. He is also famous with another saying, upon his return to Bulgaria, he was asked if he wanted someone to take him home by carriage, to which he replied: "I left home walking, I will go home walking!".
The new communist government, after 9 September 1944, awarded him with the high accolade "Honoured Master of Sport" posthumously.
In 1962, the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation organised an international freestyle wrestling tournament named after him to commemorate his memory.
In 1999, it was produced the movie about his life Dan Koloff - The King of Wrestling.
Each year, in the town of Sevlievo is held in freestyle wrestling tournament in memory of Kolov.
Wins
Kolov had over 1500 official matches. His wins include:
Losses
Kolov has 3 registered losses in official matches.
Return to Bulgaria
After 30 years in a foreign country, he came back to Bulgaria and was greeted as a national hero. Throughout his whole career, he was asked many times to change his citizenship to American. He refused it with the words: "Dan Kolov is Bulgarian". Kolov remained proud Bulgarian until his death and was famous for his words: "I feel strong, because I am Bulgarian". For him, his motherland was the most holy and sacred thing. He is remembered for helping many Bulgarian people in the country and abroad. He gave all of his money to charities. The first Bulgarian airplane for the National Bulgarian Post was donated by him.
Death
Kolov died in Bulgaria on 27 March 1940 from tuberculosis. His coffin was carried by officers of the Ninth Artillery Corps from the town of Sevlievo also escorted by an honorary company of cavalry. He was buried with the specific request of facing the Balkan (" Balkan against Balkan").
Rumors around his death
One of the versions for his condition is that he did not get infected naturally, but that he was purposely infected by French doctors. It is known that there were a lot of attempts to get Kolov disgraced and disqualified from tournaments.
Championship and accomplishments
External links
Categories: 1892 Births, 1940 Deaths, 20th-century Bulgarian Sportsmen, Bulgarian Catch Wrestlers, Bulgarian Emigrants To The United States, Bulgarian Male Professional Wrestlers, Bulgarian Male Sport Wrestlers, People Associated With Physical Culture, People From Sevlievo, Sportspeople From Gabrovo Province, 20th-century Deaths From Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis Deaths In Bulgaria, American People Of Bulgarian Descent
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