WBC Praises Azerbaijan Professional Boxing Federation for Organizing Training Event

World Boxing Council (WBC) has praised the Azerbaijan Professional Boxing Federation (APBF) for its recent initiative aimed at the development of professional boxing in the country amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The statement was issued by the council and titled “You have to hand it to Azerbaijan…a cut above the rest.”

“The WBC has designated 2021 as a very special year for boxing, due to the challenges and difficulties that COVID 19 pandemic has brought to many boxers, trainers, promoters and fans,” reads a statement published to the World Boxing Council’s website. 

WBC highlighted that ABPF President Artyom Hasanov, First Vice President Farhad Ajalov, and Secretary General Orkhan Mukhtarov joined the initiative to promote and celebrate boxing all over the world. As part of the initiative, Azerbaijan Professional Boxing Federation organized a two-day seminar of international level to train local cutmen, who are responsible for providing immediate preventive and treatment measures to a fighter in case of physical damage.

The event took place in late February with the support of WBC and provided attendees with detailed information on various hand-wrapping techniques, as well as the rules of first aid in case of various injuries, hernias, hematomas, bleeding, and others. Following the seminars, participants were awarded APBF’s special certificates and prizes after successfully applying new knowledge during practical exercises. 

Participants of a two-day seminar organized by APBF with the support of the World Boxing Council (WBC). / APBF

Due to the strict lockdown measures, the seminars were held in compliance with all the requirements and safety rules of the special quarantine regime. All participants used protective face masks and disinfectants.

In mid-2019, professional boxing in Azerbaijan was taken to an all-new level with the election of Artyom Hasanov as the new president of APBF and upgrade of the federation's action plan.

Officials from APBF have repeatedly said that activities aimed at bringing in international expertise, as well as development and popularization of professional boxing in Azerbaijan were featured in federation’s plan for the near-term. The president of the federation announced that they would cooperate with professional boxing organizations, including WBC, as well as the national federations of foreign countries and official boxing record and ranking keeper BOXREC.

Last year, APBF held the first professional boxing training of international level in the country, to increase the level of professionalism of referees, judges, and cutmen in Azerbaijan. WBC supported the three-day two-phase training by bringing professional trainers from Italy and Spain, who delivered lectures for local judges and referees, and cutmen.

Azerbaijan also played host to the first-ever “Fight Night” professional boxing event in 2020 sanctioned and controlled by Azerbaijan Professional Boxing Federation (APBF) and organized by Baku Fight Lab, a promotion company engaged in arranging professional boxing fights in Azerbaijan and abroad, and promotion of Azerbaijani boxers worldwide.

“These are important achievements and we will continue to work in this direction. Our goal is to support the development of our professional boxers, their success and popularization of our country in the international sports arena,” Artyom Hasanov said commenting on “Fight Night” professional boxing event in 2020.

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Participants of a two-day seminar organized by APBF with the support of the World Boxing Council ...

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Participants of a two-day seminar organized by APBF with the support of the World Boxing Council ...

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Officials of Azerbaijan Professional Boxing Federation supervised the training in Baku.