Hello everyone, I am new to the forum (in regards to posting, had a account long time back but never had time/cared as much to post). After watching Kovalev's fight and just looking at light heavy division and thinking about other divisions and how the influx of eastern European fighters are now at the top, one question popped up and always bugged me. Uzbekistan and it's lack of elite or great boxers in the sports (maybe there are some and I am not too aware or too much of a casual to notice (apologies in advance if that's the case)). They are really good in the Olympics and the amateurs are participants in the world series of boxing but for some reason it doesn't translate to top notch talents in the pros like Cuba for example (they have a great amateur program and pro turn out). The only current ones that looks to be atleast known to people are: Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, Shakhram Giyasov, and Israil Madrimov. And in the past only Ruslan Chagaev In comparison one of their neighboring country Kazakhstan current: Golovkin, Shumenov (he says he is active again (out of retirement), Dychko, Yeleussinov, Kanat Islam , Zhakiyanov, Ali Akhmedov past: Jirov Also from Kyrgyzstan you have Bivol (although he identifies himself as a Russian but born in Kyrgyzstan). Thus the question despite having tremendous amateur pedigrees (7 medalists in 2016) what's missing or why the low turn out of excellent pro fighters.
Kazakhstan’s emergence as a power in pro boxing was pretty recent, and I think Uzbekistan is well on its way to that, just maybe a step or two behind. Currently there’s a very impressive squad of them that seem cut out to make excellent pros. Giyasov, Madrimov, Ergashaev, and Jalolov to name a few.
They achieved an excellent result at this Olympics, but got only one medal (and that was bronze) in London. Even more: before Rio Uzbekistan had only 7 (1 gold + 6 bronze) Olympic medals in general. So, the point is, a renaissance of boxing has been going on in Uzbekistan, and we just need to wait till that will affect the professional boxing in full.
