Jakhongir Zokirov: "Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic were surprised by me"

There are many talents in the boxing of Uzbekistan. In particular, Jakhongir Zokirov, who has won almost all prestigious competitions in the category of junior and youth, is recognized as the future of Uzbek boxing. A representative of the heavyweight, Zokirov won the elite national championship, which ended recently. We contacted this boxer and had a brief chat.

- First of all, I congratulate you on winning the championship of Uzbekistan. Can you share your impressions of the organization of this competition?

- Hello. Thanks for the congratulations! In my opinion, this championship was held at a higher level than the previous ones. The organization was also good. The competition was strong.

- You recently had a debut fight in professional boxing. However, amateur and professional styles are slightly different. To what extent did you notice it? Was it difficult to adapt?

- True, amateur and professional boxing are quite different. I think I have adapted well. I did not feel any difficulty in this regard. Of course, my coaches helped me a lot.

- During training in America, you sparred with famous professional boxers, Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic. What experiences have we received from them?  To what extent did you make them a problem?

- Of course, sparring with experienced boxers went well. I learned a lot from them. In particular, I got the experience I needed from Filip Hrgovic. True, they said that they did not expect serious resistance from me. "What kind of boxing is this, which school?" they wondered.

- Will you continue in amateur boxing or will you continue to fight professionally?

- I mainly focus on amateur boxing. However, if they offer me fights to improve my rating in the professional direction, I will agree.

- Bakhodir Jalolov qualified for the Paris Olympics. Do you intend to participate in the next Olympics?

- Yes, Jalolov will participate in 2024. He is highly favored for winning gold and is considered the best heavyweight in amateur boxing now without a doubt. I hope to qualify for the 2028 Olympics. I will do my best in this way.