By Alexey Sukachev

20-year old Russian Armenian Aik “The Humanoid” Shakhnazaryan (11-0, 4 KOs) from Samara made a huge step up in competition, and a risk vs. reward bet has played on perfectly. The expectedly light-hitting Russian light welterweight made a big splash by knocking out former contender and 2000 Uzbek Olympian Alisher Rakhimov (25-3, 12 KOs) in just four minutes. The fight was held in Kohtla-Jarve, Estonian, and a vacant WBC Baltic title was at stake in this contest.

Rakhimov’s career as an elite boxer looks to be finally over by this defeat, the first stoppage loss in his pro life. Alisher, now 36, had his most successful span in 2010-2011, when he consecutively defeated world-rated contenders Rustam Nugaev, Sergio Thompson and Saddam Kietyongyuth. His career was then derailed by decision losses to Ji-Hoon Kim and Denis Shafikov.