Spectacular performances, prodigious technical skills, top-level opponents dominated with apparent ease, and gold medals collected at a furious pace: the Uzbekistan national boxing team, led by its head coach Tulkin Kilichev, is making a powerful impression on the world stage and earning the admiration of boxing fans everywhere.
Last year, at the Paris Olympics, Kilichev’s squad won five gold medals. This year, at the World Championships in Liverpool, they took home six. Such remarkable results are anything but accidental; rather, they are the product of years of careful planning, dedication, professionalism, and meritocracy.
Since there is always something to learn from the best — and because we believe it’s important to give voice and visibility to those who, with the valuable help of his staff, have managed to gradually build such a perfectly tuned machine as the current Uzbek national team — we reached out to Mr. Tulkin Kilichev, who kindly agreed to answer Boxe Punch’s questions.
From his words, it becomes quite clear that there are no magic formulas for achieving extraordinary success in record time. Meticulous work, when carried out with the right humility and discipline, ultimately bears fruit. Here’s what we discussed.
After winning 5 gold medals at the Paris Olympics and 6 gold medals at the World Championships in Liverpool, the Uzbek men’s national boxing team has established itself as a truly formidable squad. Without revealing any secrets, could you tell us what the key elements were in achieving such extraordinary results?
Yes, boxing has been developing very well in our country over the last 10 years, primarily thanks to the direct support of our esteemed president of our country for boxers and coaches. This includes creating conditions for unity, discipline, a fair selection of talent, education, and always respecting our elders. This has led us to this result.
Do you believe that the methods applied for the growth of the amateur national team could, with some adjustments, also be implemented to build successful professional careers?
Yes, of course, a boxer’s amateur career is crucial for their future as a professional. It’s the foundation for 80% of professionals, and a good amateur boxing school helps professional boxers achieve titles faster. If they use their skills correctly, those who have had a successful amateur career can compete professionally for a long time. There are many examples, such as Usyk, Bivol, Betirbiev, Lomachenko, the Klitschko brothers, and so on. Amateur training needs to be coordinated with professional boxing, and if it’s done correctly, it will be better. Finding the right approach and making adjustments will be excellent.
Do you hope that your most talented fighters will turn professional, or would you rather keep them on the national team for as long as possible?
Yes, we definitely also conduct professional fights in parallel. When we have time, our amateur champions compete in professional fights. This helps them quickly transition to professional boxing after completing their amateur career.
In Italy, there are often discussions and controversies about the behavior of certain boxers who are very active on social media. What’s your attitude toward this? Do you give your fighters total freedom to manage their communication with fans, or do you prefer to set rules and limits regarding their behavior outside the gym as well?
No, we won’t allow boxers to get out of control. They use social media and the internet, but discipline comes first. They know what they should and shouldn’t say. I don’t want them to get distracted by social media or allow themselves to say whatever they want or have information from social media put pressure on them.
Do you think you’ve already reached the peak of your trajectory, or is there still room for improvement? What goal are you setting for the next Olympics?
I always say that I still have a lot to learn; I don’t consider myself a top-level coach. Sometimes I think I’m not that kind of coach yet, I haven’t done anything yet, and thanks to my upbringing, I’ll never say I’m a top coach—bragging isn’t for us. We Uzbeks have that kind of mentality. Life evolves, boxing evolves too, and it doesn’t stand still. We need to evolve, then we can stay at the top of world boxing longer. We have our downfalls, too, but when? It largely depends on us. We’re maximalists; we always aim for the highest possible result. Our plans for Los Angeles are to win more than 50% of the gold. Uzbekistan is the best!