1. Overview
Mahommedrasul Majidov, whose full name is Məhəmmədrəsul Yusub oğlu MəcidovMahommedrasul Yusub oglu MajidovAzerbaijani, is an Azerbaijani professional boxer. Born on September 27, 1986, in the Soviet Union, specifically in the Akushinsky District of the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (modern-day Dagestan, Russia), Majidov is renowned for his significant achievements in the super heavyweight division during his amateur career. He became a three-time gold medalist at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in 2011, 2013, and 2017, and also secured a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. After a highly decorated amateur career, Majidov transitioned to professional boxing in 2019, signing with Matchroom Boxing USA and making his debut at Madison Square Garden.
2. Early Life and Background
Mahommedrasul Majidov was born on September 27, 1986, in the Akushinsky District of the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time and is now located in Dagestan, Russia. He holds Azerbaijani nationality. Majidov stands at 75 in (191 cm) tall and has a reach of 80 in (203 cm). He competes in the heavyweight division and fights in an orthodox stance.
3. Amateur Career
Mahommedrasul Majidov had a distinguished amateur boxing career, participating in numerous international competitions and securing multiple gold and bronze medals. His amateur record stands at 56 wins and 14 losses over 70 fights.
3.1. World Championships
Majidov achieved remarkable success at the AIBA World Boxing Championships, securing three gold medals in the super heavyweight division.
3.1.1. 2011 World Championships
Majidov won his first gold medal at the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships held in Baku, Azerbaijan. In the round of 16, he stopped Sardor Abdullayev of Uzbekistan with his powerful hitting. He then proceeded to knock down and stop the Cuban favorite Erislandy Savón in the quarter-finals during the second round. In the semi-finals, he defeated Kazakh boxer Ivan Dychko with a score of 16:9. The final bout saw him narrowly edge out England's Anthony Joshua with a score of 22:21, securing his first world title.
3.1.2. 2013 World Championships
Majidov claimed his second consecutive gold medal at the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He began the tournament with two 3-0 victories, first over Lenroy Thompson of the United States in the second round, and then against Magomed Omarov of Russia in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Majidov faced Roberto Cammarelle, the reigning Olympic champion who had defeated him in the 2012 London Olympics. Majidov gained a knockdown against Cammarelle in the first round with a powerful right hand, ultimately winning the bout 3-0 despite receiving a warning point. In the final, he once again met Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan. Although Dychko started strong, winning the first two rounds on all judges' scorecards, Majidov delivered a knockout victory in the third round after scoring two knockdowns, earning his second world championship.
3.1.3. 2017 World Championships
Majidov earned his third gold medal at the 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Hamburg, Germany, marking his return to the tournament after a two-championship absence. He secured two 5-0 wins in his initial bouts against Satish Kumar of India in the first round and Hussein Ishaish of Jordan in the second round. In the quarter-finals, Majidov secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Djamili-Dini Aboudou of France. He then went on to defeat Joseph Goodall of Australia in the semi-finals. In the final, he faced Kamshybek Kunkabayev of Kazakhstan, winning the match 4-1 and securing his third world championship in the super heavyweight division.
3.2. Olympic Games
Majidov represented Azerbaijan at the Olympic Games, earning a medal in his division.
3.2.1. 2012 London Olympics
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Majidov secured a bronze medal in the super heavyweight category. He advanced through the early rounds by stopping Meji Mwamba and defeating European champion Magomed Omarov of Russia with a score of 17:14. In the semi-finals, he faced Roberto Cammarelle, the defending Olympic champion. Majidov was leading 8:6 after the first round, but Cammarelle mounted a comeback, ultimately winning the bout 13:12. This defeat led to Majidov earning a bronze medal.
3.3. Other Major Competitions
Beyond the World Championships and Olympics, Mahommedrasul Majidov also achieved notable success in other significant amateur boxing competitions. He earned a gold medal at the European Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013 in Minsk, Belarus. He also secured a bronze medal at the 2015 European Games held in his home country, Baku, Azerbaijan. Additionally, Majidov won a gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017, also held in Baku.
4. Professional Career
Mahommedrasul Majidov transitioned from his highly successful amateur career to professional boxing in 2019, embarking on a new phase of his athletic journey.
4.1. Signing and Debut
In September 2019, it was announced that Majidov had signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing USA, making him the first Azerbaijani boxer to sign with the organization. His professional debut was scheduled for September 13, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, United States. The fight was part of the undercard for the Devin Haney vs. Zaur Abdullaev bout and was broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and DAZN in the United States. Majidov won his debut fight against Ed Fountain via technical knockout (TKO) in the fourth round, at 2 minutes and 41 seconds into the round.
4.2. Key Bouts and Performance
Following his successful debut, Majidov continued his professional career with subsequent victories. On December 7, 2019, he faced Tom Little of the United Kingdom at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. This fight was part of the DAZN broadcast for the Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua II event, and Majidov secured a TKO victory in the second round at 1 minute and 49 seconds. His third professional win came on November 27, 2020, against Sahret Delgado of Puerto Rico at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, United States, during the undercard for the Daniel Jacobs vs. Gabriel Rosado fight. Majidov won this bout by TKO in the third round at 40 seconds.
However, in April 2021, Majidov suffered the first defeat of his professional career in his fourth fight. He was stopped by Andrey Fedosov of Russia in the first round at 1 minute and 24 seconds. Fedosov, who had not fought in 30 months, knocked Majidov down twice. During the first knockdown, Majidov twisted his right ankle as his entire weight shifted onto it. Despite the pain, he attempted to continue the fight, but the injury worsened after the second knockdown. As a result, Majidov had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher with an ankle support boot.
5. Achievements and Honors
Mahommedrasul Majidov has earned numerous titles and medals throughout his distinguished amateur and professional boxing career.
- Gold Medal, AIBA World Boxing Championships, Super Heavyweight, 2011 (Baku, Azerbaijan)
- Bronze Medal, 2012 Summer Olympics, Super Heavyweight, 2012 (London, United Kingdom)
- Gold Medal, AIBA World Boxing Championships, Super Heavyweight, 2013 (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
- Gold Medal, European Amateur Boxing Championships, Super Heavyweight, 2013 (Minsk, Belarus)
- Bronze Medal, European Games, Super Heavyweight, 2015 (Baku, Azerbaijan)
- Gold Medal, Islamic Solidarity Games, Super Heavyweight, 2017 (Baku, Azerbaijan)
- Gold Medal, AIBA World Boxing Championships, Super Heavyweight, 2017 (Hamburg, Germany)
6. Professional Boxing Record
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Loss | 3-1 | Andrey Fedosov | KO | 1 (10), 1:24 | 17 Apr 2021 | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida, US | |
| 3 | Win | 3-0 | Sahret Delgado | TKO | 3 (8), 0:40 | 27 Nov 2020 | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida, US | |
| 2 | Win | 2-0 | Tom Little | TKO | 2 (8), 1:49 | 7 Dec 2019 | Diriyah Arena, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia | |
| 1 | Win | 1-0 | Ed Fountain | TKO | 4 (6), 2:41 | 13 Sep 2019 | Madison Square Garden Theater, New York City, US |