“We just arrived from the European Boxing Championships, so we gave the second and third numbers the opportunity to perform at the BRICS Games” – Farkhutdinov

The performance of athletes at the European Championships influenced the formation of the Russian boxing team for the BRICS Games, said the head coach of the team, Viktor Farkhutdinov, on Match TV.

Earlier on Saturday, Russian Volodya Mnatsakanyan brought the first gold medal to the Russian team in boxing at the BRICS Games. In the final of the weight category up to 48 kg, Mnatsakanyan defeated the representative of Uzbekistan Shodierjon Melikuziev by unanimous decision of the judges.

— Are our athletes favorites?

— We exhibited athletes in all weight categories, 13 boxers. But we just returned from the European Championships recently, so we gave the second and third numbers of the national team the opportunity to perform. The guys are worthy, there are champions and medalists of national championships, European champions. We are ready to fight, to take as many gold medals as possible.

— How strong are the competitors?

— World and Olympic champions have arrived. The Uzbekistan national team has two guys going to the Olympics, one is a two-time world champion, an Olympic champion. The Azerbaijani national team is very strong, the Chinese, athletes from Venezuela. The tournament is worthy and serious for us.

— Whose fights are worth paying attention to?

— All fights will be spectacular. From weight to weight, all of us are serious guys,” Farkhutdinov said on Match TV.

The BRICS Games in the capital of Tatarstan will end on Sunday. Watch live broadcasts of the competition on the Match group channels, as well as on streaming platforms.