In this match, Halokov lost with a score of 3:4, which was an unexpected outcome considering his achievements in boxing. However, the biting incident became the main topic of discussion, as the referee did not stop the fight or take any action. This moment was captured on video and quickly spread online.
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Rakhmatjon Ruziokhunov, coach of the Uzbekistan national team, sharply condemned the incident: “If our athlete is bitten on the ear, the victory is given to the one who bit him. But if our athlete bites his opponent on the ear, he is disqualified. Where is the justice?”
He also emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable: “This is not dog fighting to bite an opponent.”
According to Ruziokhunov, he did not notice this moment in the ring, as Halokov “never complained” during the fight.
Halokov himself, when asked about the lack of a complaint from the team, noted: “We are just men.”
So far, the Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan has not reported any intentions to file a protest regarding the fight results.
At the IBA World Championship, the Uzbekistan team won 9 medals (2 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze), finishing third in the overall standings after Russia (7−5−1) and Kazakhstan (3−1−2). Championship titles were won by Hasanboy Dusmatov, who was recognized as the “Best Boxer of the Tournament,” and Asadkhuzha Muidinhujaev (+video of the matches).
The IBA World Championship 2025 set a record for the prize fund — 8.3 million euros. Prizes for individual achievements were distributed as follows:
- 1st place — 300 thousand dollars
- 2nd place — 150 thousand dollars
- 3rd place — 75 thousand dollars
- 5th place — 10 thousand dollars
The tournament was held under the control of the IBA, led by Umar Kremlov. However, the organization was stripped of recognition by the International Olympic Committee due to management issues, financial opacity, and violations in judging. Amid this conflict with the IOC, the competitions were nearly excluded from the Olympic system. In 2023, an alternative to the IBA was created — World Boxing, after which the IOC officially included boxing in the program of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Comparable Incident in 2024
In December 2024, boxer Khavasbek Asadullaev won the title of Asian champion in the under 71 kg weight class, defeating Kazakhstan's Ablaykhan Zhusupov. During the fight, he bit his opponent on the shoulder. After a protest was filed by the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, the ASBC technical delegate disqualified Asadullaev for a serious violation of the rules, and the gold medal was awarded to Zhusupov.
