In 1988, he won the Grand Prix in Neuss, Germany, and the FILA Grand Prix Gala of the International Amateur Wrestling Federation in Budapest.
Karelin was awarded by "Golden Bough" in 2002 by FILA.
Served in the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
At the age of 15, he broke his leg, after which his mother even burned his uniform and forbade him to engage in wrestling. But he did not give up his favorite pastime.
The "reverse belt" was Aleksandr Karelin's signature throw - in the heavyweight division only he could perform such a throw.
He is included in the Guinness Book of Records as an athlete who has not lost a single fight for thirteen years.
He was the flagbearer of the National Team at the opening of three Olympic Games: 1988 - USSR, 1992 - CIS, 1996 - Russia.