Interview with Kyrgyzstan’s Azat Usenaliev

Kyrgyzstan’s Azat Usenaliev is ready to box in the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku

Kyrgyzstan’s Azat Usenaliev was near to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an but he lost his Box-off to Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Sattibayev which meant he have to box for the spot in the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Kyrgyzstan’s best boxer began his boxing career at the age of 10 and he is member of their national squad since 2007 when he took part at the AIBA Cadet World Boxing Championships in Baku. Usenaliev now returns to that city to get the Olympic quota for Rio as second Kyrgyz boxer after Erkin Adylbek Uulu.
The Kyrgyz Flyweight class (52 kg) reached his career highlight at the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan. Usenaliev defeated Uzbekistan’s tough Shakhobiddin Zoirov in the final of the event which delivered the first ever gold medal for Kyrgyzstan in the history of the Asian Championships since 1993 when the Central Asian country joined to the continent’s boxing life.
The Kyrgyz No.1 competed well enough in the fourth and fifth seasons of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) as member of the Ukraine Otamans franchise and won several big contests including against Welshmen two-time European Champion star Andrew Selby. Usenaliev’s contests in the World Series of Boxing were also important steps during his career and those great experiences could be the way of success in the upcoming World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku.
“I am fine after the trainings and ready to win in the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku. The first part of the trainings was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan while we prepared with strong boxers in Moscow, Russia in the second part of the preparation for Baku. I have done through all of the trainings without any injury and we trained twice a day. I am ready and hoping to win the long-awaited Olympic spot for Rio.
Usually I have been training twelve times each week from Monday until Saturday to be the best boxer in my weight class. Sunday is my lone rest day when I am with my family in the city of Tokmak. I like playing during the fights and using my footwork to launch quick counter-attacks. I am following the instruction of my coach but this is my style and I like it,”said Kyrgyzstan’s best hope Azat Usenaliev.