"We had a great three-week training camp in the USA. We spent the first few days adapting. Then there was physical and technical-tactical training." These were the words of Azerbaijani boxer Muhammad Abdullayev in his statement to the Federation's official website on the preparation process in Colorado, United States. 

The world champion, who has been awarded a license for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the +92kg category, said he had trained in the United States with a special programme and that he also had "several test fights." 

It will be his second Olympic appearance, having lost to eventual winner Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the second round of the super heavyweight division at Tokyo 2020. Abdullayev has two World Championship bronze medals and a silver medal from last year's European Games. The 24-year-old Asian boxer, who stands 1.89 metres tall, has an interesting record of 66 wins (10 by way of KO) and 15 defeats. 

"My opponents were very strong. I tested my strength against the USA Olympic licensees. The growth is visible. Considering my weight, it is a great advantage for me to have strong opponents. My goal is to reach my best form by the time of the Olympic Games," he stressed. 

Muhammad Abdullayev said that he wants to write his name in the history of Azerbaijani boxing with the result of the "Paris 2024" Summer Olympics: "This year is doubly significant and responsible for us, and at the same time responsible. It is both the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijani boxing and the Olympic year. I have taken the first step towards to the Olympic Games". 

"I won a license at the European Games in Krakow. Now I want to go for it. My goal is to raise the Azerbaijani flag high in the capital of France, to fulfill the hopes of the boxers by winning a medal. I will do everything necessary for that. I will try to prove that I am the strongest in my weight class," he stressed. 

Boxing has given Azerbaijan nine of its 49 medals at the Summer Olympics. Eight of those were bronze and Cuban-born Lorenzo Sotomayor was the only Azerbaijani boxer to reach an Olympic final at Rio 2016, losing 2-1 to Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Gaibnazarov.