Boris Zhukov
| Boris Zhukov | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Kirk Harrell |
| Born |
January 29, 1959 Roanoke, Virginia |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Boris Zhukov Boris Zukoff Boris Zurchov Pvt. Jim Nelson Jim Nelson |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Billed weight | 298 lb (135 kg) |
| Billed from | Soviet Union |
| Trained by | Steve Savage, Don Hogan |
| Debut | 1978 |
| Retired | 2001 |
James Kirk Harrell (born January 29, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Boris Zhukov (sometimes spelled Boris Zukhov). He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation.
Inspired by his Northside High School football coach and hope to become a pro wrestler, 160-pound wide receiver and defensive halfback Harrell became interested in gaining mass in his senior year, 1977. While exercising at a YMCA, he met Ric McCord, who introduced him to Don Hogan and Steve Savage, two wrestlers from Salem, Virginia. Together, they toured small towns in Virginia before moving to Atlanta, Georgia, a year later. In his first big match, the 210-pound Harrell (now called Jim Nelson) teamed with Mike Stallings to lose to Ivan Koloff and Ole Anderson.
After four years wrestling in different territories, Harrell started wrestling in 1982 as Pvt. Jim Nelson in Sgt. Slaughter's "Cobra Corps" in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions. He frequently teamed with Don Kernodle and he feuded with Porkchop Cash. In 1984, he went to Alabama's Southeast Championship Wrestling and continued his feud with Cash.
In 1985, Harrell debuted in the American Wrestling Association as "Boris Zukhov", billed from the Soviet Union. Zhukov adopted Chris Markoff as his manager and challenged AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel and AWA America's Champion Sgt. Slaughter. In 1987, he formed a tag team with Soldat Ustinov under Sheik Adnan El Kassey's management. The pair won the AWA World tag team title that same year. Zhukov, however, left the AWA for the WWF while he was still one half of the tag team champions (the storyline being that Wahoo McDaniel chased him out after a brutal chain match). As a result, former tag team title holder Doug Somers was brought in to team with Ustinov, losing the titles to the team of Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee.
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