Shavkat Rakhimov


Shavkatdzhon Shokirovich Rakhimov is a Tajikistani professional boxer. He held the International Boxing Federation super-featherweight title from 2022 to 2023 and the International Boxing Organisation super-featherweight title from 2017 to 2019.

Amateur career

In 2013, Rakhimov won a gold medal at the Tajikistan National Championships in Dushanbe in June, and went on to compete at the 2013 World Boxing Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan in October where he defeated Adilson Justino of Angola and Branimir Stankovic of Serbia but lost to Ermek Sakenov of Kyrgyzstan in the third round.
In 2014, Rakhimov won a gold medal at the Tajikistan National Championships in Khujand in May, and went on to win a bronze medal at the 2014 World University Boxing Championships in Yakutsk, Russia in September.
In 2015, Rakhimov won a gold medal at the 2015 Tajikistan National Championship in Dushanbe in March.

Professional career

Shavkat Rakhimov made his professional debut in 2015 at the age of 21. He won the WBO Inter-Continental Youth super featherweight title in 2016, and by mid 2017 had amassed a record of 10 wins with all but two by stoppage.
On 20 June 2017, it was announced that Rakhimov would face off against David Saucedo on 9 September in Chelyabinsk, Russia for the vacant IBO world title, last held by Malcolm Klassen who was stripped in May due to inactivity. However, on 18 August, RCC Boxing announced that Saucedo had pulled out of the fight notifying the promoter that he would be unable to make the weight. He was replaced by Emanuel Lopez. On 9 September, Rakhimov defeated Emanuel Lopez by unanimous decision to win the IBO super featherweight title.
On 10 February 2018, Rakhimov defeated former IBF and IBO champion Malcolm Klassen to retain the IBO super featherweight title. He won the bout by technical knockout in the eighth round.
On 19 August, Rakhimov defended his title against Mexican boxer Robinson Castellanos, who had a recent victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa and had previously challenged for the WBA (Super) and interim WBC titles in 2017 and 2016, respectively. Rakhimov won the bout by technical knockout at 1:36 of the second round.
On 23 March 2019, Rakhimov defeated South African boxer Rofhiwa Maemu by knockout in the fourth round. Maemu suffered two knockdowns in the round after which he walked back to his corner signaling an end to the fight.
He faced Joseph Diaz for the IBF super-featherweight title at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California on 13 February 2021. Diaz had been the champion but failed to make the required weight and was therefore stripped of the title. The bout went ahead with Rakhimov still able to become champion with a win, but the fight ended in a majority draw.
Rakhimov got a second chance at the still vacant IBF super-featherweight title when he took on Zelfa Barrett at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 5 November 2022. He survived being knocked to the canvas in round three to go on and floor his opponent twice in the ninth round with the referee stopping the contest after the second knockdown, handing Rakhimov the win, and the championship, by technical knockout.
He lost the title in his first defense against former champion, Joe Cordina, at Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales on 22 April 2023, losing via split decision.
Next he faced Eduardo Nunez in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 16 February 2024. Rakhimov lost by stoppage in the 11th round.
After almost a year away from the competitive boxing ring, Rakhimov moved up to lightweight and fought Justin Pauldo at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, United States, on 8 February 2025, losing by knockout in the eighth round. He was taken from the ring on a stretcher and it was later revealed he suffered a bleed on the brain which required a two-night stay in hospital.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
21LossJustin PauldoKO8, 1:538 Feb 2025Boeing Center at Tech Port, San Antonio, Texas, United States
20LossEduardo NunezTKO11, 0:1616 Feb 2024Dushanbe, Tajikistan
19Loss17–1–1Joe Cordina1222 Apr 2023Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, WalesLost IBF super-featherweight title
18Win17–0–1Zelfa BarrettTKO9, 2:395 Nov 2022Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAEWon vacant IBF super-featherweight title
17Win16–0–1Sardor MuzaffarovRTD2, 3:0011 Dec 2021KRK Uralets, Ekaterinburg, Russia
16Draw15–0–1Joseph Diaz1213 Feb 2021Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.For vacant IBF super-featherweight title
15Win15–0Azinga FuzileTKO8, 2:2629 Sep 2019Orient Theatre, East London, South Africa
14Win14–0Rofhiwa MaemuRTD4, 3:0023 Mar 2019RCC Boxing Academy, Yekaterinburg, RussiaRetained IBO super-featherweight title
13Win13–0Robinson CastellanosTKO2, 1:3919 Aug 2018DIVS, Yekaterinburg, RussiaRetained IBO super-featherweight title
12Win12–0Malcolm KlassenTKO8, 1:3110 Feb 2018DIVS, Yekaterinburg, RussiaRetained IBO super-featherweight title
11Win11–0Emanuel LópezUD129 Sep 2017Traktor Ice Arena, Chelyabinsk, RussiaWon vacant IBO super-featherweight title
10Win10–0Jimmy PaypaTKO6, 1:175 May 2017DIVS, Yekaterinburg, Russia
9Win9–0Rogelio Jun DoliguezTKO5, 2:1518 Feb 2017Traktor Ice Arena, Chelyabinsk, RussiaWon vacant WBA Asia super-featherweight title
8Win8–0Roldan AldeaKO2, 0:5317 Dec 2016Yekaterinburg Expo, Yekaterinburg, RussiaRetained WBO Inter-Continental Youth super-featherweight title
7Win7–0Jerry Castroverde4, 3:0018 Nov 2016DIVS, Yekaterinburg, RussiaWon vacant WBO Inter-Continental Youth super-featherweight title
6Win6–0Farhod OripovTKO2, 0:539 Sep 2016Traktor Ice Arena, Chelyabinsk, Russia
5Win5–0Alexander SaltykovTKO2, 0:426 May 2016DIVS, Yekaterinburg, Russia
4Win4–0Musaib AsadovUD61 Apr 2016Sports Complex Leader, Berezovsky, Russia
3Win3–0Mirzhan Zhaxylykov427 Feb 2016Arena, Yekaterinburg, Russia
2Win2–0Sergey DyachkovTKO1, 2:4717 Dec 2015Vodoley, Yekaterinburg, Russia
1Win1–0Visita Gairabekov2, 2:326 Dec 2015Strelka 59 Club, Perm, Russia