Zaurbek Baysangurov is a fairly well-known boxer from Russia, who performed in middleweight. He began his professional career early, having managed to win the IBO and WBO championship belts during his performances in the ring. Due to a back injury for some period, he suspended his activity, after which he lost his titles, but there is talk of an upcoming return of a talented boxer.
Lover
Zaurbek Baysangurov, whose biography will be described below, was born in 1985 in the village of Achkhoy Martan, in Chechnya. He was brought to the gym by the hand of his uncle Uvais, who became for many years his coach in the ring and a teacher in life. Sports fortune has always accompanied Zaurbek, while still a teenager, he won the European Junior Championship, became the bronze medalist of the world championship.
At the age of 19, he made his debut at an adult level, immediately winning the title of champion of Russia. Realizing his enormous potential, Zaurbek Baysangurov decided not to waste himself on performances in amateur boxing and decided to switch to professionals.
A sharp, aggressive athlete with an excellent blow received many offers from various clubs from Germany, Russia, but the Chechen boxer quite unexpectedly chose the Klitschko brothers as promoters . Successful professionals, they founded their own promotional company, K2 East Promotions.
Start a professional career
Zaurbek's debut took place in 2004, when he easily defeated the same debutant Andrei Gibalo in the arena in Feodosia. After that, he spent a number of fights with incoming rivals, with whom he dealt with just as easily.
The first relatively serious opponent for the Russian was the Argentine Pablo Martin Paoliello, who did not know before this defeat. He had to box all six rounds, which ended with the advantage of the Chechen.
In 2005, boxer Zaurbek Baysangurov entered the fray for his first championship belt. At stake was the IBF World Youth Champion title. Zaur was opposed by Pole Daniel Urbanski, whom he knocked out in the fifth round.
After a successful fight, Zaurbek Baysangurov conducted a kind of tour in Germany, where he defended the championship belt several times. He fought with pretty good rivals - Juan Alagio, John Chibuta, Laszlo Brani. They had good statistics of victories and defeats, however, Zaurbek Musaevich Baysangurov knocked out applicants in all fights.
Serious test
In 2006, the Russian boxer had a chance to fight with a real star of the first middle weight. Mexican knockout Marco Antonio Rubio arrived in the Ukrainian capital, many boxers tried to avoid fights with him.
The Latino began in his favorite manner, continuously firing at Zaur, and even managed to knock him down. However, the younger and fresher Zaurbek in the second round unexpectedly seized the initiative, and from the third round began to completely dominate the ring. Without slowing down, he constantly threw punches, pressing the Mexican to the ropes.
Rubio managed to stay on his feet after twelve rounds, but lost the decision. Defeating the Hispanic, Zaurbek Baysangurov took the vacant WBC Intercontinental Champion title.
Having established himself as a cool boxer, a Chechen athlete entered the title fight for the title of European middleweight champion. In the struggle for the prestigious title, Zaurbek survived a difficult fight with the Frenchman Bayram, whom he defeated on points.
In 2008, the first defeat of Baysangurov took place. The American Cornelius Bandrage was considered a less talented fighter than Zaurbek, but he had a reputation as a puncher, which he proved by sending Zaurbek knocked out already in the fifth rand.
World champion
The defeat from the American hit the prospects of Zaurbek Baysangurov, but he again entered the ring after a short rest and issued a long winning streak. During this time, he took a number of low prestige titles, spent his first battle in Grozny in front of his family and friends.
In 2011, Zaurbek Baysangurov got the opportunity to fight for a serious title - the title of WBO world champion. The rival was veteran Mike Miranda, whom the Chechen knocked out in the first round.
A more prestigious belt implied strong opponents, and Zaur had to withstand several serious defenses, where he balanced on the verge of defeat. He consecutively defeated Michel Soro and Lukas Konecny in heavy battles.
Then in the career of Zaurbek came a long break. He could not perform due to a back injury and lost his championship belts. Return to the ring took place in 2014, where in a duel for the IBO world title, he outboxed the Argentine Guido Pitto.