World Boxing Champion Rufat Riskiyev Dies at 76

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Legendary Uzbek boxer Rufat Riskiyev has died at the age of 76 after a prolonged illness, the Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan reported.

Riskiyev became the first world champion among Uzbek boxers, winning the gold medal at the World Boxing Championships in 1974. In 1976, he became a silver medalist at the Olympic Games in Montreal.

Riskiyev struggled with a severe illness in recent years. The Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan expressed deep condolences to the athlete's family and relatives.

In 2020, Rufat Riskiyev was awarded the Order of Dustlik. Since 2019, an award named in his honor has been presented to the best athlete of the tournament at the Uzbekistan Boxing Championship.

Rufat Riskiyev left a significant mark on the history of Uzbek boxing, becoming the country's first representative to win a world championship title.