For some boxers it takes years of dedication and perseverance to become a world champion. For others achieving the feat is perennially out of reach.
However, there are certain fighters for whom the whole thing just comes naturally – Murodjon Akhmadaliev being the perfect example.
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Murodjon Akhmadaliev won his two world titles in January
A product of the improved Uzbekistan amateur system, ‘MJ’ claimed silver as a 20-year-old bantamweight at the World Championship in 2015.
The following year he competed at the Rio Olympics and picked up a bronze for his country who achieved a stunning haul of seven medals from ten male weight classes.
At this point the boxing world began to take note – ‘The Uzbeks are coming.’
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
The strong and compact style of Akhmadaliev is combined with intelligent boxing ability
Akhmadaliev turned professional as a super-bantamweight in early 2018 under the guidance of World of Boxing.
After getting a few early fights under his belt, they agreed a co-promotional deal to link up with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom USA.
The message from Team MJ was clear, he wanted a world title shot as fast as possible.
Victories against Ramon Contreras in August 2018 and Isaac Zarate in November saw him climb the WBA’s rankings and become their mandatory challenger at just 5-0.
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Akhmadaliev is likely to be the first in a new wave of Uzbek champions
But defending champion Daniel Roman – also signed by Hearn – agreed a unification bout with IBF belt-holder TJ Doheny, which took precedence over the mandatory.
Roman beat Doheny to pick up a second belt and Akhmadaliev was made to wait further as the American initially pulled out of their fight due to injury.
In this time the Uzbek stayed busy with further wins over Carlos Carlson and Wilner Soto in 2019.
Then, on January 30 in Miami, a long way from home, the Uzbek’s time finally came.
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
The latter rounds saw Akhmadaliev claim victory
At just 25 years of age, 7-0 (6 KOs), Murodjon Akhmadaliev challenged Roman, an experienced, unified world champion for his titles… and won.
The 29-year-old came into the bout on a 19-fight winning streak, having recently made three defences before dethroning another champion.
‘MJ’ outworked Roman early on, but the champ battled to seemingly level things up in the middle rounds.
Down the stretch, Akhmadaliev wrestled back control and even forfeited the final round by coasting through, seemingly confident that he’d done enough to claim the titles.
As the scorecards were read out, a razor close decision appeared.
“Rodolfo Aguilar has it 115-113 for Roman. Carlos Sucre has it 115-113 for Akhmadaliev. And Nelson Vazquez scores it 115-113 for your winner by split decision…”
The Uzbek celebrated rapturously on the three famous words that followed.
“…AND THE NEW unified WBA & IBF super-bantamweight champion of the world, Murodjon ‘MJ’ Akhmadaliev.”
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Akhmadaliev could not contain himself when his victory was confirmed
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Although some of his fellow countrymen in the 2016 Uzbekistan Olympic team won gold medals and even turned pro before him, Akhmadaliev beat them all to become the country’s first modern world champion.
His triumph was well received in Tashkent with a noisy homecoming ready to welcome him back.
Fellow Uzbeks such as Bektemir Melikuziev, Israil Madrimov and Shakhram Giyasov now look to follow in ‘MJ’s’ footsteps as country’s new wave of boxing talent has made its arrival on the grand stage.
Meanwhile, the man himself has the entire boxing world at his fingertips, with a bright career only just beginning.
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