Islam Timurziyev

Islam Timurziyev took up boxing in 1995. Described as very skilled offensively, but weak defensively, Timurziyev first became known internationally when he won the European U-17 Championships in 1999. Boxing as a super-heavyweight his entire career, he won the European Junior Championships in 2001 and the World Military Championships in 2003. In 2004, he won his only Russian title, but later that year, during a routine medical examination, it was discovered that Timurziyev had a brain tumor, although he returned to the ring in 2005, after the tumor was found to be benign. In 2005 Timurziyev won the World Cup in super-heavyweight by defeating reigning Olympic heavyweight champion Odlanier Solís of Cuba and he won the 2006 European title by defeating Italian Roberto Cammarelle.

Unfortunately, the rest of Timurziyev’s career was hampered by various health issues related to his slowly growing brain tumor. At the 2007 World Championships, he was able to fight only one bout, but due to opponent’s injuries, still advanced to the semifinal, where he was unable to fight but was awarded a bronze medal. At the 2008 Olympics, he was knocked out in his only bout. Timurziyev retired from boxing after the 2008 Olympics due to his health issues. In the summer of 2015, he underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor. Although his condition seemed to improve after the surgery, Timurziyev deteriorated quickly in August 2015 and was hospitalized at Ingush Republican Clinical Hospital on 20 August, where he died 10 days later due to sepsis.