New IBF bantamweight world champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov is up there for one of the most well travelled pro boxers in the world.
Fighting on the road is often a sign of a fighter having to do things the hard way in their professional boxing careers.
It tends to mean that a boxer has to fight on a lot of a away fighter promoted shows, and in their hometowns, making decisions sometimes hard to come by if the fight goes the distance.
Perhaps no current pro boxer, certainly world champion, knows this better then newly crowned IBF bantamweight champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov.
He won the title this past Friday on a Premier Boxing Champions TV show in Ohio, USA and represented a culmination of years of hard work.
33 year old Kazakh Zhakiyanov won a closely fought split decision over Rau’shee Warren to capture both the WBA (Super) and IBO bantamweight titles on the night.
But it’s the story over the years leading up to this for the now Ricky Hatton trained fighter that’s perhaps even more impressive.
Turning pro back in 2007, check out the 12 countries that Zhakiyanov has had to travel to in building up his career record of 27-1-18KO thus far:
Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Switzerland, the UK, Belarus, China, Australia, Bulgaria, Monaco and as of last Friday to win his world title, the USA.
Fairly impressive jet setting by any career’s standards.
Let alone one as gruelling and taxing as that of a professional fighter.
Talks of a rematch have been called for by Warren’s team following the closeness in the fight with Zhakiyanov.
Zhakiyanov’s trainer and promoter Ricky Hatton has said on Twitter they are more than willing for a part two.
Whatever happens from here on out, Zhakiyanov can be very proud of his achievement in winning the world title.
He’s probably one of the most well travelled pro boxers of the modern era to do so.
A road warrior if ever there was one.
