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Avtandil Khurtsidze (Georgian: ავთანდილ ხურციძე; born 2 May 1979) is a Georgian professional boxer who has competed since 2002. He held the WBO interim middleweight title in 2017 and won the IBO middleweight title in 2011. He also challenged for the interim WBA middleweight title in 2010.

In September 2018, Khurtsidze was convicted of racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, he was released in 2022.

Professional career

Early career

Khurtsidze compiled a record of 7–1–2 in his first ten fights, before making Ukraine his new home for his next fifteen fights. While fighting in Ukraine, he won the WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title in July 2008 and defended it four times. On 31 July 2010, Khurtsidze beat Sergey Khomitsky in Minsk, Belarus by sixth-round corner retirement.

Khurtsidze vs. N'Dam N'Jikam

The victory over Khomitsky marked Khurtsidze's 16th consecutive victory. Khurtsidze was now ranked #2 by the WBA, and his next fight was for the WBA interim middleweight title against Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam (ranked #1 by the WBA) on 30 October 2010 in Paris. During the fight, N’Dam N'Jikam was cut over both eyes, as Khurtsidze, being much smaller, tended to lean forward with his head like a stocky bull and often collided heads with his opponent. Despite Khurtsidze piling on constant pressure and being unfazed by N'Dam N'Jikam's shots, he lost a close unanimous decision with scores of 117-111, 115-114 and 115-114. The decision was controversial, which was reflected by the fans booing the announcement of the decision.

IBO middleweight champion

Khurtsidze vs. Cendrowski

Khurtsidze rebounded from the controversial loss to N'Dam N'Jikam by returning to his native Georgia for his next fight, the first time he had done so since his professional debut. He faced Mariusz Cendrowski for the vacant IBO middleweight title on 13 March 2011. Khurtsidze applied his trademark aggression to continuously stalk Cendrowski all over the ring, and landed powerful punches with his left hand throughout the duration of the fight. After twelve rounds, Khurtsidze was awarded a unanimous decision victory, with scores of 120–108, 116–112, 117–112, becoming the IBO middleweight champion.

Khurtsidze vs. Miranda

On 11 June 2011, Khurtsidze defended his IBO middleweight title against Dionisio Miranda in Kyiv, winning by first-round knockout. Khurtsidze knocked his opponent down with a crushing overhand left. Miranda got up but was quickly put on the canvas face down after Khurtsidze caught him with a big left hook.

Later that same year, Khurtsidze's title reign ended when he was stripped of his IBO title, due to the sanctioning body not approving of his choice of Ossie Duran as an opponent. Khurtsidze would go on to beat Duran on 18 December 2011 by majority decision, with scores of 114-114, 114-113 and 115-113, to capture the vacant WBC Silver middleweight title.

Winning streak in 2014-17

Khurtsidze vs. Douglas

After his win against Ossie Duran, Khurtsidze had a layoff of over two and a half years. He finally returned to the ring in July 2014, where he would go on to win four consecutive bouts in the United States by technical knockout, before facing undefeated middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas as a short notice opponent on 5 March 2016, after Douglas' original opponent Sam Soliman sustained an injury. Despite being the betting underdog, Khurtsidze relentlessly pressed Douglas all night, dropping him in the third and seventh rounds, and eventually forced the referee to stop the action, winning the bout via tenth-round technical knockout.

Khurtsidze vs. Langford

In early February 2017, Khurtsidze, who was mandatory challenger for WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders, took a step aside fee to allow Saunders to pursue a bigger fight. On 28 February, it was announced that Khurtsidze would face undefeated Tommy Langford for the vacant interim WBO title on 22 April 2017. Langford was ranked #3 by the WBO at middleweight. Khurtsidze connected with a left hook to win the bout by fifth-round technical knockout, bringing his streak of consecutive TKO victories to six, and securing a world title shot against Saunders.

Canceled Saunders fight

The day after Khurtsidze's victory against Tommy Langford, the fight between Khurtsidze and WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders was announced as taking place at the Copper Box Arena in London on 8 July 2017. However, on 8 June, Khurtsidze was arrested in New York along with 32 others, linking him with a Russian and Georgian crime syndicate. Racketeer charges and conspiracy to commit fraud were the two alleged charges; promoter Lou DiBella said that, while the fight would not be completely called off, it would be postponed. Khurtsidze would ultimately never fight Saunders as he was convicted of racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in September 2018, effectively bringing his boxing career to an abrupt end.

RICO indictment and incarceration

On 8 June 2017, prosecutors from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York indicted Khurtsidze on charges of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a Russian organised crime syndicate operating in the New York City area. According to the indictment, Khurtsidze is alleged to have paid $17,800 for three cases of purportedly stolen cigarettes.

On 30 August 2018, it was reported that Khurtsidze had been stabbed in the face in a "stabbing rampage" in a Brooklyn detention center, after members of his crime syndicate Razhden Shulaya were involved in a reported row with a Latin American gang.

In September 2018, Khurtsidze was convicted of racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

Professional boxing record

38 fights, 34 wins (23 knockouts), 2 losses (1 knockout), 2 draws
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	34-2-2	Victor Hugo Exner	TKO	1 (6), 2:20	2024-05-31	Melrose Ballroom, Queens	Return to ring after seven years
Win	33-2-2	Tommy Langford	TKO	5 (12), 0:27	2017-04-22	Leicester Arena, Leicester	Won interim WBO middleweight title
Win	32-2-2	Antoine Douglas	TKO	10 (10), 0:33	2016-03-05	Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania	Won WBO International middleweight title
Win	31-2-2	Melvin Betancourt	TKO	1 (8), 2:22	2015-08-07	Bally's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Win	30-2-2	Phillip Penson	TKO	4 (8), 1:00	2015-02-20	Hilton Westchester, Rye Brook, New York
Win	29-2-2	Eddie Hunter	TKO	5 (8), 2:13	2014-10-30	Florentine Gardens, Hollywood, California
Win	28-2-2	Allen Conyers	TKO	1 (8), 1:23	2014-07-23	BB King Blues Club & Grill, New York City
Win	27-2-2	Ossie Duran	MD	12	2011-12-18	Sport Palace Yunost, Zaporozhye	Won vacant WBC Silver middleweight title
Win	26-2-2	Jason LeHoullier	TKO	2 (10), 2:37	2011-10-03	Sports Complex "Freestyle", Kyiv
Win	25-2-2	Dionisio Miranda	KO	1 (12), 2:37	2011-06-11	Sport Palace, Kyiv	Retained IBO middleweight title
Win	24-2-2	Mariusz Cendrowski	UD	12	2011-03-13	Sport Palace, Tbilisi	Won vacant IBO middleweight title
Loss	23-2-2	Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam	UD	12	2010-10-30	Palais des Sports Porte de Versailles, Paris XV, Paris	For interim WBA middleweight title
Win	23-1-2	Sergey Khomitsky	RTD	6 (10), 3:00	2010-07-31	Club Reaktor, Minsk
Win	22-1-2	Mihaly Kotai	TD	8 (12)	2010-05-21	Sports Complex "Freestyle", Kyiv
Win	21-1-2	Kuvanych Toygonbayev	TD	8 (12)	2009-11-20	Budivelnik, Cherkasy	Retained WBA Inter-Continental and EBA middleweight titles
Win	20-1-2	Jamel Bakhi	RTD	5 (12), 3:00	2009-07-18	Sportpalace, Odessa	Retained WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title
Win	19-1-2	Attila Kovacs	MD	12	2009-03-28	Budivelnik, Cherkasy	Retained WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title
Win	18-1-2	Antonio Valentin Ochoa	UD	12	2008-09-27	Sport Palace, Kyiv	Retained WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title
Win	17-1-2	Javier Alberto Mamani	MD	12	2008-07-05	Sportpalace, Odessa	Won vacant WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title
Win	16-1-2	Ferenc Olah	TKO	2 (10)	2008-05-17	Sportpalace Lokomotiv, Kharkov
Win	15-1-2	Jurijs Boreiko	TKO	4 (12)	2008-03-23	Sportpalace Meteor, Dnipropetrovsk	Won vacant EBA middleweight title
Win	14-1-2	Tagir Rzaev	TKO	2 (8)	2008-02-21	Sport Palace, Kyiv
Win	13-1-2	Volodymyr Borovskyy	UD	8	2007-11-17	SC Voskhod, Kyiv
Win	12-1-2	Ruslan Semenov	TKO	5 (8)	2007-09-13	Sport Palace, Kyiv
Win	11-1-2	Maksym Velychko	UD	6	2007-07-14	Ukrainian House, Kyiv
Win	10-1-2	Taras Boyko	RTD	5 (8), 3:00	2007-06-09	Sport Palace, Kyiv
Win	9-1-2	Denis Balandin	TKO	6 (6)	2007-04-26	SC Voskhod, Kyiv
Win	8-1-2	Serhiy Petryk	TKO	3 (4)	2007-02-27	Sport Palace, Kyiv
Loss	7-1-2	Tony Marshall	TKO	7 (8), 1:33	2005-05-13	Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Saratoga Springs, New York
Win	7-0-2	Calvin Shakir	TKO	3 (6), 2:45	2005-03-18	New Alhambra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win	6-0-2	Chris Hall	UD	6	2005-01-28	Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Draw	5-0-2	Carlos Antonio Escobar	PTS	6	2004-11-12	New Alhambra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win	5-0-1	Leo Edwards	TKO	6 (6), 2:17	2004-10-15	New Alhambra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win	4-0-1	Fred Drayton	TKO	1 (4)	2004-07-16	Hampton Beach Casino, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
Win	3-0-1	Jon Gaddis	UD	4	2004-06-18	New Alhambra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Draw	2-0-1	Orazio Robinson	PTS	4	2004-04-08	Wyndham Inner Harbor Hotel, Glen Burnie, Maryland
Win	2-0	Kenny Kingsley	TKO	1 (4), 0:54	2004-02-20	Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Win	1-0	George Kanchaveli	TKO	3 (4)	2002-10-11	Sport Hall, Variani

See also

• List of IBO world champions

References

1. "BoxRec: Avtandil Khurtsidze".
2. "Avtandil Khurtsidze". boxrec.com. December 25, 2015.
3. "Khurtsidze vs. Toygonbaev: post-fight presser - Elite-boxing". www.elitboxclub.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
4. "Khomitsky vs. Khurtsidze". Archived from the original on 2021-06-09.
5. "N'Jikam defeats Khurtsidze ⋆ Boxing News 24". Boxing News 24. 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
6. "NJikam edges Khurtsidze - Elite-boxing". www.elitboxclub.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
7. Sukachev, Alexey. "Khurtsidze Outpoints Cendrowski, Grabs IBO 160lb Title". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
8. "Avtandil Khurtsidze Crushes Dionisio Miranda in One - Elite-boxing". www.elitboxclub.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
9. "Khurtzide To Be Stripped - Elite-boxing". www.elitboxclub.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
10. Chikov, Ruslan. "Avtandil Khurtsidze Edges Ossie Duran in Close Call". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
11. Christ, Scott (2016-03-05). "Khurtsidze upsets Douglas via 10th round TKO". Bad Left Hook. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
12. "Khurtsidze expected to take step-aside money for Saunders - The Ring". The Ring. 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
13. "Khurtsidze vs. Langford set for interim title". Bad Left Hook. 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
14. "Khurtsidze vs Langford - News, Tape, Ringwalk, TV, Streaming & Tickets". Box.Live. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
15. "Tommy Langford beaten as Avtandil Khurtsidze sets up Billy Joe Saunders bout". BBC Sport. 2017-04-22. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
16. "Billy Joe Saunders vs. Avtandil Khurtsidze on July 8, Copper Box - Boxing News". www.boxingscene.com. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
17. "Avtandil Khurtsidze indicted on racketeering charges - The Ring". The Ring. 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
18. "Billy Joe Saunders bout cancelled after Avtandil Khurtsidze arrest". BBC Sport. 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
19. ^ "Avtandil Khurtsidze: Former boxing champion jailed for 10 years". BBC. 2018-09-07. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
20. "Members And Associates Of Russian Crime Syndicate Arrested For Racketeering, Extortion, Robbery, Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy, Fraud, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses". www.justice.gov. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
21. "Boxer Avtandil Khurtsidze indicted on federal racketeering, fraud charges". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
22. "Avtandil Khurtsidze stabbed in the face, suffers multiple injuries". World Boxing News. 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2021-06-10.

External links

• Boxing record for Avtandil Khurtsidze from BoxRec (registration required)
• Avtandil Khurtsidze - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings at Box.Live

• Living people
• Middleweight boxers
• 1979 births
• Male boxers from Georgia (country)
• Sportspeople from Kutaisi
• Sportspeople convicted of crimes
• Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act