Chingiz Allazov Considering All Options After Legacy-Defining Win Over Marat Grigorian
After a decade of waiting, Chingiz Allazov finally got his arm raised against Marat Grigorian at ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video this past Friday, August 4.
Allazov had dreamed of getting some redemption ever since his 2013 loss to the Armenian slugger, and with his ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title on the line, “Chinga” was not going to let the opportunity pass him by.
The 30-year-old star put on a masterful performance to earn a unanimous decision victory over his longtime rival at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. By doing so, he fulfilled his own goal and also came good on a promise he made to his late grandpa.
Reflecting on the emotional win, Allazov offered:
“Before my grandfather died, I said, ‘One more [win], grandfather. I will bring it to you.’
“This was a hard fight. [Winning] was one of the best moments of my career. For me, it was important. The belt was not important, only beating Marat Grigorian. That’s what was important for my life, my career, and my legacy.”
Allazov had been fueled by this pursuit for many years, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any bumps in the road. In fact, he recently experienced a major one.
The Azerbaijan-born striker had contemplated withdrawing from the matchup in the days leading up to the event. But fortunately, he found the mental strength to continue on, and because of that, he delivered one of his finest efforts and retained the richest prize in the sport of kickboxing.
He said:
“My mind was weak because last week, I had a problem in my family. Three days before the fight, in my mind, I said, ‘Maybe I won’t fight.’ But I told myself, ‘No, Chingiz. You’re ready for this fight. Go forward. God gave you this fight.’ I told myself I will win. I said, ‘Thank you God for helping me on this day.’
“The important thing was winning. I won. We won, my team. My coach [Andrei Gridin] is the best in the world, for real. We had a good game plan, but it wasn’t a game plan to KO Marat Grigorian. We planned to beat him over five rounds.”
Chingiz Allazov Addresses Tawanchai, Petrosyan, And Retirement
With his win over Marat Grigorian, Chingiz Allazov has defeated the division’s top three contenders in quick succession and cemented his spot as the best pound-for-pound kickboxer on the planet.
Though he was thrilled with the victory, the Gridin Gym representative isn’t sure what could be next. He recognizes ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai’s potential in the kickboxing ranks, but there’s only one more target that is motivating him right now.
Allazov explained:
“In my weight category, we have the four top fighters. Number one is me. Second, Superbon. Third, Marat Grigorian. And fourth, Sitthichai. I beat them all. Is there anyone else? I don’t know.
“I like one fight, my dream fight maybe. I want to fight Giorgio Petrosyan. Maybe he’s ready to fight. God will help me win this fight. It’s the last fight in my mind.
“I don’t want to talk about Tawanchai. I’ll say one thing: he’s one of the best strikers in the world. He’s the best Muay Thai fighter. In kickboxing, he’s not the best. But he’s a really talented fighter. I have only respect for him. I don’t know if we will fight or not.”
Allazov is also contemplating another option.
The featherweight kickboxing king admits that retirement has crossed his mind. “Chinga” hasn’t made any concrete decisions on his future, but after he gets some rest, he plans to discuss his next steps with Gridin and his family.
He offered:
“Now, I’m pound-for-pound number one. This is my time. But I say today, maybe this is my last fight. I’ll go home, relax, and have a talk with my manager. I’ll talk with my coach. I’ll talk with my father. Maybe he will say to stop my career.”
