We present the interview of the well-known Azerbaijani kickboxer Bahram Rajabzadeh with Offsideplus.az.

- A knockout in 15 seconds. Were you exceptionally well-prepared, or did the opponent have too many openings?

- I was very well-prepared. Additionally, I managed to capitalize on the opponent's mistakes.

- You entered the ring with a different kind of motivation. It seems the break in your career has been productive. Why did you step away?

- I was exhausted. Competing in 10-15 fights a year is no easy task. During that period, there were also some personal issues that forced me to make that decision. Plus, there was that certain incident during the fight.

- What exactly happened in the fight against Tarik Khbabez?

- There was a misunderstanding regarding the timing. During the fight, the sounds I heard from the sidelines got mixed up with my own count. There were nearly ten thousand people in the arena. The noise made it impossible to hear the coaches clearly. I kept hearing "you're ahead, don't rush" from the outside. That made me relax. I thought to myself, "It's great that I'm leading despite taking some hits." Naturally, you can't accurately analyze the points in that state. Other athletes will understand me better. Since I was leading from the first round, I expected to become the champion. That’s why, in the end, I felt there was an injustice.

- Did you regret it after becoming aware of the situation?

- Regarding regret—I love the sport deeply and don't want to step away. After I announced my decision, I received messages from many people.

- Did you expect such a reaction?

- I expected it, but not to this extent. I received an overwhelming number of messages.

- Among those messages, there must have been one that was particularly impactful.

Someone wrote: "You shout 'Turk, Turk' in the ring, yet you are quitting the fight."

- Why specifically "Golden Wolf"?

- There are white wolves and black wolves, but a golden wolf is hard to find. As you know, the wolf is a symbol of Turkism. For this reason, I chose the nickname "Golden Wolf".

- Your post-fight speeches also draw great interest. Do you prepare those speeches beforehand, or are they extemporaneous?

- Absolutely not. I simply answer whatever they ask. I couldn’t prepare for a question in advance even if I wanted to. I say whatever is in my heart, as long as it doesn’t disrespect anyone.

- The fact that you often speak in Turkish is not always perceived positively by some people..

- That’s possible. I speak Azerbaijani as well. As you know, I lived in Turkey for a long time. My wife is a Turkish citizen. Since most of the people I work with are from there, I speak Turkish more often. However, I feel I can express myself better when speaking Turkish. Besides, in my opinion, speaking Turkish is better than speaking Russian.

- What do you mean?

- Some athletes, businessmen, and singers speak Russian, yet no one criticizes them for it.

- That’s not entirely true; there are people who criticize them as well.

- Very few do. But when they see someone speaking Turkish, there is an immediate reaction.

- Speaking of businessmen, sponsor support is essential in kickboxing, just as it is in other sports. In your opinion, how effective is this mechanism in Azerbaijan?

- There are athletes who never leave Baku and complain that no one supports them. However, you must prove yourself first. Then, the sponsor will come to you. Of course, our businessmen do support athletes, but unfortunately, their numbers are small.

- Perhaps the athlete should also take the initiative?

- What should they do? When an athlete goes to a businessman and says they need support, most of them look at the athlete like a beggar. This is not the right approach. A businessman should realize that this person is going to raise our flag. By supporting an athlete who achieves success, you are also supporting our national sports. However, most businessmen don’t think this way; they say, "Put 100-200 AZN in his pocket so he can buy some vitamins," and that’s it.

- Is Bahram Rajabzadeh personally satisfied with the support he receives?

- To this day, the greatest support I’ve received has been from the honorary president of our Federation, Adil Aliyev. Whenever I face a difficulty, he is the first person I call. Aside from him, I haven’t seen support from any businessman or sponsor. Whatever I’ve done, I’ve done with my own money. I’ve worked as a coach, and I’ve worked as a laborer to prepare for competitions. I earned my money there and then continued from where I left off.

- How much money is needed for your monthly preparation?

- It depends on which competition I’m preparing for. Vitamins, doctors, nutrition, coaches, training camps—it’s a fortune. To prepare for a professional fight, like one in "Glory," you need approximately 18,000 AZN.

- Where do you find that money?

- As I said, Adil Aliyev supports me the most. But I can't ask him every single time.

- What about the businessmen we see around you?

- Sometimes a businessman approaches you in front of everyone and shoves money into your pocket. I say, "It’s not necessary, thank you." He says, "No, take it, you are our pride, you are a wolf." Then I look and see he gave 200 AZN. What kind of preparation can I undergo with that money?

- Maybe that’s all he can afford?

- But it’s the wealthy people doing this. For example, I was sitting in a restaurant once. Someone approached me and said they were a fan. I thanked him and said, "I raise our flag; it’s enough if you are a fan of the flag." He asked how he could help. Although I initially declined, he insisted. I told him I had to go to Thailand soon for a training camp. I had a fight in two months. I said, "If it’s possible, you can help with the preparation." He asked how much was needed. I said ten thousand—I’ll put in five, and you put in five. He replied, "Consider it done." I said, "Look, I’m applying for the visa. Should I proceed?" He said, "Go ahead, your brother is with you." So, I went to Turkey and handled the visa issues. I didn’t just reserve the tickets; I bought them outright so he could see I was serious. In short, I spent a lot of money, including reservations for the gym and hotel. About 10 days later, I sent him photos of the tickets and the visa, saying I had done my part and now it was his turn. He said, "Yeah, bro, I’ll call you now." It’s been about two and a half years; he still hasn't called. Maybe he forgot (laughs). True, I still went and did my training. I just want you to know that there are people who leave an athlete halfway. However, I’ve also seen the opposite.

I was training in Turkey. I saw 3 or 4 men in suits enter. They said they wanted to speak with me at the door. They were Turkish businessmen I didn’t know. They waited, and we talked after training. They said, "If you wave our flag alongside the Azerbaijani flag, we are proud of that." After a short conversation, they handed me a package. At first, I didn't want to accept it, but they insisted. When I opened it later, I saw it was 10,000 Euros. They didn’t take a photo, they didn’t ask for an autograph, and they didn’t say anything extra. They gave the money and left. Yet, I haven’t received a single call from Azerbaijan asking, "Bahram, do you need anything? You have a fight coming up. There’s preparation involved." As I said, I prepare for fights on my own dime. I will start training on March 1st. I just hope I win, because if I lose, they will say, "What happened? Why did you lose? You should have beaten him." But no one asks: How? With what kind of training? Do you know that I often come home from training and go straight to sleep so I can skip breakfast and eat two meals in one at lunch? Because the money isn't enough. No one asks this.

- Haven't you already established a comfortable life for yourself?

- Suppose I get 20,000 from a fight. Between the manager, the coach, the preparation leading up to the fight... I look and see there’s only 2-3 thousand left. How can you live on that? Look, I currently need a sparring partner. I can't find the person I want in Turkey or Azerbaijan. Most of the sparring partners suitable for me live in Europe. They want 3,000 Euros a month. Plus plane tickets, accommodation, food, hotel, etc. Any way you look at it, it costs 6,000 Euros for one person. On the other hand, one person isn't enough. One gets injured and stays on the sidelines, and a second one is needed. So, you need at least two people. No one gives you that 12,000 Euros, but many people ask, "Why did you lose?" A sparring partner accounts for 70% of a professional athlete's success. The rest is the coach, nutrition, routine, and training procedures. Imagine that I am deprived of that 70%. For example, to prepare for my last fight, I brought two people from Iran. Shortly after, one broke a rib, and the other injured his leg. The person I brought from Russia broke his shoulder. I hit one, he gets injured, and I immediately look for the second one only to see him holding his arm. I’m forced to fight a heavy bag. Then they ask, "Why does Bahram close his eyes when he throws a punch?"

- You have a fight with Donovan Wisse on April 25th. Time is running out. How do you think it will go?

- Everyone expects a belt, but no one knows what awaits me. My opponent is very, very strong. I would even say he is stronger than Tarik. Plus, he is very technical. I have to suffer a lot to win.

- Will you be cutting weight?

- Yes, I’m currently 103 kg; I need to drop about 10 kg.

- Many who only know you from the screen characterize you as an aggressive person. To what extent do you agree with this?

- I am a very simple person. But you are forced to behave that way there.

- Why?

- To raise your rating. Once, at a press conference, I slammed my fist on the table and walked out; they gave me 50,000 AZN for that.

- So, it’s a show?

- I don’t put on a show; I act however I feel in my heart. I’m not going there to play chess, nor is my opponent my lover that I should stand there admiring him. When we come face-to-face before a fight, the anger inside us reflects on our faces and actions. Because tomorrow, we will tear each other apart in the ring. I am a Turk; when I go there, I won't stand with my head bowed. If the opponent smirks, I’ll push him, I’ll curse him. Sometimes they say, "Be simple like Khabib." I can't be. Besides, let him be like me. I feel comfortable this way. If someone doesn't like it, that's normal. Let that person reach my position and then not do it. Of course, if they can even reach it...

- The nine-year longing is over; you have been reunited with your daughter. How has your life changed since becoming a father?

- What hasn't changed? Before becoming a father, you think, "What am I living for?" But now I know I live for my child. It’s a feeling that is very difficult to explain. You have to experience it to know what it is. I can only say it’s a beautiful feeling.

- Would you want your daughter to follow in your footsteps?

- I don't know. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Honestly, I don't want my child to go through the hardships I’ve endured.

- But what if she comes to you one day and says she wants to be a fighter?

- I would respect that. At the same time, I would explain the hardships both her mother and I have gone through. Your leg breaks, your arm breaks, you become aggressive, you have to sleep on time, wake up on time, and watch what you eat and drink. In short, you suffer morning and night. If she says she accepts all that, I will always be by her side as a father.