Upon his return to Chechnya after unifying the WBO, WBA and IBF light-heavyweight titles, Artur Beterbiev was given a hero’s welcome and an official state parade.
The 37-year-old boxer was greeted with dancers, fans, and state officials upon his arrival in the capital city of Grozny.
“I’ll try to bring another belt to the republic. It’s very nice when the work is done well, and at home they are greeted like that,” Beterbiev said when interviewed on state television during the proceedings.
For years, the Chechen-born boxer considered by many to be the world’s best active light heavyweight has maintained a friendly relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov, the dictator at the helm of Russia’s Chechnya region and ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.