2-0…Let ́s Go!
After highly praised pro debut back in August in Finland Arslan moved to Alicante Spain to continue his pro career in a boxing-wise more developing environment. The Team Khataev is now strengthen by an experienced pro boxing operator Ricky Pow who is guiding Arslan in his daily activities and responsible for the matchmaking. We salute you Ricky!!!
The Evolution Boxing Gym under the tutolage of Vicente Fernandéz in Elche and The Ring Boxing Gym in Torrevieja owned by the great Louis Furlong are hosting the future champ in his preparations for the upcoming fights. Both gyms are regularly visited by famous fighters and iconic boxing coaches which offers a great opportunity for Arslan to get world class training. This time we were honoured to meet and get to know the great boxing coach Wayne Batten from Southampton in UK. Wayne and WBC Silver Champ Ryan “ The Piranha” Garner with the Team Piranha were there for the training camp for the upcoming World Title Fight in November.
All the best for Team Piranha!!
Arslan ́s second pro fight was held in the City of Castellón in Valencia 20th of October. The preparations were on point and after two weeks of adaptation to the climate Arslan got to his own level with good rhythm and speed. Sparring with Super Featherweight EBU Champ Juanfe Gomez gave the final boost to the fight.
A 6-rounder against durable and hard hitting Jean Hernandez from Venezuela with the record of 8-7 (7 KO ́s!!) was yet a level up from the tough debut fight in August. Arslan was a confident and focused in the build up to the fight. He executed the game plan perfectly and was able to hurt the game opponent with the flurry of punches to the body and head in the second round. Hernandez was not able wether the storm in the third round. Arslan got him on the ropes and kept punching. In the close-encounters Arslan dropped his foe with a hard left to the ribs. Hernandez went down, rose to his one knee but didn’t beat the count. Arslan to the victory via 3rd round KO.
Team Khataev expresses huge thanks to the sponsors and supporters around the world.
Team Khataev:
Arslan Khataev / Champ
Karre Anttonen / Coach
Tomi Korpinen / Manager
Ricky Pow / Matchmaker, Trainer
Mika Saari / S&C coach
Johan Jaumain / Massager
Expert ́s at the URHEA Olympic Training Center in Helsinki
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Arslan’s debut fight 26.8.2023
Arslan’s long-awaited professional debut was seen in Kirkkonummi on August 26th at an Elite Promotions organized professional boxing event. The event, titled ”Young Guns,” featured 10 matches and drew a full house. Throughout the evening, the ring saw the emergence of Finland’s most promising young talents in professional boxing.
Arslan’s debut fight was planned as a 6-round bout, with Ronald Olkwera (1-0) from Spain as his opponent. Olkwera was known to be a mobile and technical boxer, making him a suitable challenge for Arslan’s first professional match. The match was fast-paced and entertaining from the beginning, with both boxers displaying skillful boxing round after round. Arslan managed to land the biggest and hardest hits in the match. After six exciting rounds, the unanimous decision of the judges was announced (55-60, 56-59, 55-59). It was a clear points victory for Arslan and, above all, six good rounds of experience in his first professional fight.
Arslan’s match was considered one of the evening’s most spectacular bouts in terms of boxing performance and generally regarded as one of the best debuts in Finnish professional boxing history.
Arslan will continue his career in Spain, and his next match is already scheduled for October 20th in Castelló. There is also a third match in Spain planned for later in the year.
Stay tuned for updates on social media or here on the website.
”And the new …!”
Arslan Khataev was born in Chechnya. He started boxing at the age of 10 in a local sports school, more out of necessity than as a hobby. Arslan arrived in Finland as an asylum seeker with his brother in 2010.
Arslan quickly found his way to the boxing gym and achieved impressive results in junior competitions in his early years in Finland. In 2013, Arslan and his brother moved to Porvoo where he began training under the guidance of Karre Anttonen.
After starting their collaboration, Arslan began actively competing and training abroad. He rose to the top of his age group internationally and won the U19 European silver medal in 2015.
Arslan became a funded athlete by the Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2016, until his transition to professional boxing in 2023. He was awarded several times as the Boxer of the Year by the Finnish Boxing Association.
Numerous Finnish and Nordic championships titles, U19 European silver medal, and established him as one of the future promises of the sport in Finland and Europe. Arslan was part of the Finnish Olympic Team in Rio Olympics in 2016 where he served as a training partner for boxer Mira Potkonen (Bronze medalist in Women 60kg). 2019 he became the first Finnish boxer ever to win the German Bundesliga (BC Traktor Schwerin).
Since 2017, Arslan has competed in the men’s category and has been the most successful Finnish male amateur boxer every year until the end of his amateur career. He achieved the 5th place with three victories in the 2021 World Championships, and it was the best result for a Finnish male boxer in 20 years.
In the end of his Amateur career in December 2022, Arslan was ranked 9th in the world in the 60kg weight category (IBA/2022), the highest ranking for a Finnish male boxer in this century.
In 2013, Arslan and his coach Karre made a career plan with the main goal of securing a spot at the 2020 Olympics and pursuing a professional boxing career afterward. However, qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics did not happen, so it was time to become a professional boxer. The transition to the professional level has been prepared for a long time. Recent successes have opened up opportunities for an international career. After his debut fight in Finland, Arslan will head abroad to compete in his next professional matches. The goal is to become a world champion. Perhaps in the future, Helsinki Olympic Stadium will once again be filled with boxing fans, and Arslan’s dream will come true there.
Join us in the making of Finnish boxing history
Elche, Spain 5/2023
Roma, Italy 11/2022
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