I ONLY WANTED TO WIN

In 2025, after much anticipation, Azerbaijan emerged victorious at the World Boxing Championships. After a prolonged absence, 19-year-old Subhan Mammadov returned from the World Championships in Dubai with a gold medal. In the final of the championship in the weight category up to 48 kg, he defeated the Armenian boxer Edmond Khudoyan, who was representing Russia.

The Azerbaijani men's team concluded the December championship with one gold and two bronze medals, securing fourth place in the team standings among 120 participating countries. It is noteworthy that only four countries won gold at this championship: Russia (7-5-1), Kazakhstan (3-1-2) and Uzbekistan (2-4-3).

This achievement is not the first in the history of Azerbaijani boxing. Subhan Mammadov's success has earned Azerbaijan its eighth gold medal at the world championships. Previously, Aghasi Mammadov, Javid Chelebiyev, Elvin Mamishzade, Magomedrasul Majidov (on three occasions) and Alfonso Dominguez. Subhan's achievement marks the end of a ten-year wait for gold in this sport. This victory is of particular significance as the gold medal was won by our compatriot, rather than a naturalised athlete.

Here is an interview with our hero Subhan MAMMADOV.

"2025 was a memorable year for your career. Did you anticipate such a high number of awards?"

"Awards achieved during such a period are not always won on an annual basis. I won bronze at the World Cup at the outset. In December, I was awarded the title of European champion among athletes under 23 years of age. I was awarded first place in the adult world championship competition, which took place in Dubai."

"Let's begin with the initial steps. How did you get into sport?"

"I'm originally from Aghjabedi. When I was younger, my parents signed me up for judo. After thinking about it, I decided that this wasn't really the right path for me. I did a short course of kickboxing before switching to boxing. During the training period, I realised that this was the exact sport for me."

"If you'd known before the championship that you were going to win the gold, would you have thought it was likely?"

"My coach, Mehman Guliyev, always encourages me to aim high. Before the competition kicked off, we were aiming to get to the final. After four wins in a row, I managed to get a job. Before the big fight, my coach said, "You're entering the final stage of a long journey." So, by the time the final match rolled around, I wasn't feeling any major jitters. I wasn't thinking about second place; I was 100% focused on winning."

"To whom do you dedicate this victory?

"To the people of Azerbaijan and our fallen heroes. I'd like to say a big thank you to my personal coach, Mehman Guliyev, the national team coaches, and the federation leadership for their help. We had to get a win in these conditions. I'm determined to make sure that the success of our Dubai project is repeated in any future business projects we take on."

"The last world champion from the Azerbaijani boxing school was ten years ago. It's interesting that the medals were always won by boxers who had become naturalised citizens. Could you tell us when the next top award will be given out?"

"The Azerbaijani national team is now full of new, strong talent. There are some great boxers in every weight category. I think the next victory at the world championship is just around the corner."

"Your dream has come true. What's next?"

"My next goal is the 2028 Olympics. My coach and I are already thinking about the biggest competition on the planet. We're not just here to take part, we want to get involved. Azerbaijani boxers have always done well at the Olympics, but they've only ever made it to the final. My biggest dream is to become an Olympic champion. I get that it's tricky, but anything is possible."

"You're 48 kg, which isn't an Olympic weight category. Are you thinking of losing a few pounds?"

"This year I'm moving up to the 50 kg weight class. As I get older, it's getting harder to keep the weight off. I'm planning to compete in this category. My main rival here is Bilalhabashi Nazarov. I've got to show him I'm better if I want to keep my spot on the national team."

"So, what's the best way for an athlete who became world champion at the age of 19 to avoid getting 'star syndrome'?"

"I'm dead against complacency. There was a lot of joy, of course, but now I need to forget about the championship and prepare for new challenges. The main goal for 2026 is to become the European champion among adults. This result will help me join the ranks of adult boxers. I'm facing some new rivals at the continental championship. I've got to be ready for every match. I'm sure that I'm not going to get "star syndrome" like that. I'm always around people who love sport as much as I do, and my mates will never let me get ‘big-headed’."

"You got a big cash prize from the organisers. How do you plan to spend it?"

"I haven't thought about it yet. I'm only 19 years old. All my thoughts are on boxing right now. I currently live in Baku in a rented flat, and my family is in Aghjabedi. I really want to move my parents to Baku. It would make me very happy to live with them here."