Shatkov was born in Leningrad and began boxing at 12 at Zhdanov Young Pioneer Palace in Leningrad, where he was trained by Ivan Pavlovich Osipov. His first success was the 3rd place at the 1949 USSR Youth Championship in Rostov on Don. Shatkov trained at Burevestnik in Leningrad. He became Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR in 1957 and was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1957. During his career he won 215 fights out of 227. He won the Middleweight (75 kg) gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic games. He also competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in the Light Heavyweight division (– 81 kg) but lost to Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in the quarterfinals. Shatkov won gold medals at 1955 European Championship and 1959 European Championship, became USSR Champion in 1955, 1956 and 1958, and won gold medal in the I Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR in 1956.