EXCLUSIVE | Newbie boxing star Albert Selimov opened up completely to World Boxing Information within the days after nemesis Vasiliy Lomachenko retired.
Selimov will ceaselessly stay the one blemish on Lomachenko’s excellent beginner report, which reads 396-1. That one is Selimov, who defeated the Ukrainian grasp on the 2007 World Newbie Championships.
The victory, embedded in boxing folklore, got here to the floor once more as Lomachenko confirmed the top of his profession.
Lomachenko acknowledged, “My expensive boxing followers around the globe. You could have all the time supported me with ardour and have lived via unforgettable fights alongside me for over a decade.
“I hope you proceed to like and respect this sport simply as passionately as a result of the person who steps within the ring dangers his well being for the sake of his household,” as he hung up his gloves for good.
Loma’s exit prompted some digging, and due to some long-term connections within the sport, WBN reached out to Selimov.
Albert Selimov on Lomachenko’s retirement
The 39-year-old gracefully responded and completely gave these ideas to Worldboxingnews.com on Lomachenko’s retirement.
Selimov informed WBN, “I believe Lomachenko didn’t ship me into retiring first. (I can say) It’s my option to retire,” mentioned Selimov.
“I believe I can do greater than what I do (in opposition to Lomachenko), however now it’s his option to retire. He’s one of the best in world boxing, and I can say we fought good fights.”
Regardless of dropping to Lomachenko on the 2008 Olympics in a revenge mission, their paths by no means crossed after Selimov misplaced a rubber match 5 years later.
Olympic objective
After failing to qualify for the 2012 Video games in London, Selimov moved to Azerbaijan to compete within the World Collection of Boxing.
Selimov managed to make the 2016 Olympic Video games for his new nation in Rio after claiming European gold and a World silver medal in 2015.
He was one of many favorites heading into the match, however misplaced to France’s Sofiane Oumiha within the Quarter-Finals. Regardless of his comparatively younger age for a boxer, Selimov determined it was his time to bow out.
On whether or not he retired too early and may have pushed for the 2020 Video games, Selimov mentioned, “No, I didn’t suppose that I retired too quickly. Every thing has its time, and after 2016, that was my time.”
Concluding with a touch upon World Boxing and Gennadiy Golovkin saving the way forward for Olympic Boxing for LA 2028, Selimov acknowledged, “I believe it’s boxing.
“I believe it’s boxing, and I believe it’ll all the time be saved. As a result of with out boxing, the Olympic Video games is not going to be Olympic Video games.
“We all know that’s as a result of boxing is one of the best sport,” he added.
Golovkin joined World Boxing as an envoy and performed a major function in conserving boxing on the Olympic sports activities cycle.
Life after boxing
Retiring in 2016 at 30, Selimov resisted the chance to show skilled and up to date WBN on his present scenario.
“Now I’m a businessman and I assist younger athletes change into higher,” defined Selimov, who WBN then requested why he by no means turned skilled.
“I wished to change into an Olympic champion, and since I wished to take the gold medal,” he replied.
As boxing continues to thrive, Selimov appears fairly completely happy passing on his data to the following technology of sporting children.
The veteran is protected within the data that he secured his place in boxing historical past with out the Lomachenko statistic.
Ending his profession with a reported 236 wins and 17 losses within the vest, Albert Selimov is a legend in his personal proper and has a haul stuffed with medals to show it.
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Learn all articles and unique interviews by Phil Jay and be taught extra concerning the writer. Phil Jay is an skilled boxing author and Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing Information since 2010.
