Kotelnik: “I don’t know if Khizhnyak needs professional boxing”

Former world champion Andrey Kotelnik shared his opinion about whether they will move Alexander Khizhnyak and Yuri Zakhareev as professionals.

— Being a good amateur does not mean that you will become a good professional. Zakhareev is still young, he needs to gain experience. Khizhnyak has won a lot, but he has a lot of injuries. I don’t know if he needs “professionals.” In addition, Sasha has a rather aggressive style of fighting. In professional boxing it is tougher and more treacherous.

I think that everything depends on the two of them - whether they will go to the pros and whether they will become successful there.

— So far, only Khizhnyak has made it to the Olympics. For a boxing country like ours, this is a low figure. Who will qualify for the Olympic Games?

— The same Zakhareev. I’ll mention Zamotaev again. Yes, there are good athletes, because boxing is a sport in which everyone has a chance.

Don’t forget that we are now living in a state of war, and a year ago most of the guys went abroad and live there now. And they were the first numbers. Now there is a renewed team that needs time. And as long as the Russians are in charge of boxing, there will be little chance for us.