Former world heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev received Armenian citizenship, according to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the country..

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The Russian will have his first fight under the flag of Armenia today, March 3, in Yerevan against American boxer Mike Balogun.

Note that the 29-year-old native of Vladikavkaz in 2018 fought with Alexander Usik in the final of the World Boxing Super Series in the first heavyweight.. In a duel in Moscow, a Ukrainian won, who took four main belts and the Muhammad Ali Cup..

Recall that after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine on February 24, the invaders were excluded from almost all international competitions, and in some tournaments the Russians compete under a neutral flag..

At the beginning of this year, the International Olympic Committee called for the representatives of the Russian Federation and Belarus to be allowed to participate in international competitions in a neutral status, provided that they were not seen actively supporting the war in Ukraine and comply with doping laws..

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Earlier it was reported that the titled Russian chess player changed her sports citizenship.