Things you didn’t know about Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) defends his undisputed super-bantamweight championship to former IBF champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev on September 14 in Japan.
But who is the challenger set to travel over 5,000 miles to cause what would be the biggest upset in modern boxing history?
Find out all you need to know about “MJ” below:
Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev is one of Uzbekistan’s top boxing talents. Born on November 2, 1994, in Chust, he is a southpaw known for his technique and knockout power.
As an amateur, he won silver at the 2015 World Championships and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, with more than 300 fights under his belt.
He debuted as a professional in 2018 and, in just eight fights, became a world champion. In January 2020, he defeated Daniel Román to win two super bantamweight titles, becoming the first Uzbek to unify world championships.
He successfully defended his belts three times, demonstrating an aggressive but intelligent style, capable of finishing fights by knockout or controlling from distance.
In April 2023, he lost his titles to Marlon Tapales in a close split decision. He bounced back strongly: in December 2024, he became the interim super bantamweight WBA champion by knocking out Ricardo Espinoza Franco in Monte Carlo.
Currently, Akhmadaliev has a record of 14 wins (11 by KO) and 1 loss, and he will face undisputed champion Naoya Inoue on September 14 in Nagoya, Japan.