Eldeniz Azizli: “We are the biggest favorites at the European Championship”

The European Wrestling Championship is just around the corner. This time, the continent’s strongest wrestlers will compete in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. One of the favorites for this competition is Eldeniz Azizli. Before this crucial event, the two-time European champion gave an interview:

– How is your preparation for the European Championship going?

– Our preparation is going very well. I started my preparation before the ranking tournament in Croatia in February. After consulting with the coaches, we decided that I wouldn’t cut weight for the Zagreb tournament. So, I wrestled at 60 kg instead of 55 kg. My goal was not to get a result in the tournament, but to have one or two matches. In fact, even if I had passed the first round, I would not have faced my teammate Nihat Məmmədli. The main goal of going to Croatia was to participate in the training camp after the tournament. We had a high-level camp. In total, there were 250-300 athletes in the preparation process. After that, we continued training in Baku. I hope the competition will be good.

– The last time you competed in the European Championship was two years ago. That time, an injury to your chest prevented you from becoming the champion. Do you have any issues with that injury now?

– My chest hurt a lot for 1-2 years. I couldn’t recover for 4-5 months after the European Championship. There was pain. Now everything is fine. I feel good, and there is no serious problem.

– Since 2018, you have won medals in every European Championship, including two championships. I’m sure your goal is to win your third title. If you achieve this, you will match Rafiq Hüseynov, the European record holder in Greco-Roman wrestling. Have you discussed this with him?

– Yes. Rafiq and I want to match each other’s title count, I want to match his European titles, and he wants to match my World Championship titles. After I became a four-time World Champion, his hopes of surpassing me were diminished. God willing, he will catch up to me. Rafiq is one of the best and most decorated wrestlers in Greco-Roman wrestling. We have a friendly competition between us.

– Who do you see as your main rival on the way to the championship?

– My weight class has a lot of young wrestlers, which makes it difficult. As I get older, it becomes more challenging to compete with the younger wrestlers. However, this year I aim to become a three-time European and five-time World Champion. There are very few athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling who have won more than four World titles. In my weight class, Hamid Soryan is a six-time World Champion. He is a legend. There are no other wrestlers in lower weight classes with that many World titles. My main rival at the European Championship will likely be Russian wrestler Emin Seferşayev. We will most likely meet in the final.

– In 2021, you lost to him in the semifinals in the final seconds. Can we view this match as a revenge match?

– Yes, he used an unexpected technique in the final seconds. God willing, I will take my revenge.

– You are also the captain of the national team. Can we win the European Championship again in the team category?

– In recent years, we’ve always been in the top three in team standings. This is a great achievement for a country like Azerbaijan. There is no other sport in our country with such success. We are the current World runner-up and European champion. Before that, we were European champions. Winning the World Championship twice consecutively as a team has never been repeated in any other sport in Azerbaijan. We are the biggest favorites at this European Championship. I don’t believe that Turkey will surpass us this year because we are going with an amazing team. This is probably the best team in Greco-Roman wrestling history. I hope everything goes well. Turkey used to be ahead of us by a narrow margin. The main reason for that was Rza Kayaalp. He was an undisputed leader. But now, they no longer have Rza and World Champion Ali Cengiz (87 kg) in their lineup. I don’t think they will be ahead of us.

– Eldeniz, you are now a four-time World Champion. This is a record not only in Greco-Roman wrestling but also in Azerbaijani wrestling. I’m curious, do you still feel the same motivation and drive for future goals? Are you continuing with the mentality of “I will wrestle as long as I can”?

– Thank God! I am the only four-time World Champion in Olympic sports in Azerbaijan. I don’t like to make long-term plans, either in my sports career or in my daily life. I prefer to set specific goals and plan accordingly. I never rush. I don’t want to get ahead of time. Right now, my goal is to become the European Champion. Of course, I also want to become a five-time World Champion, but that is my next goal.

– After you retire, do you think any wrestler will be able to represent Azerbaijan at international levels in the 55 kg weight class?

– It’s hard to say. Staying at this weight class and consistently winning medals is difficult for all athletes. You need to fully adapt to the weight. I don’t think our other wrestlers, Elmir Əliyev and Rəşad Məmmədov, will remain at 55 kg for many years. I have been at this weight for 15 years. Staying in this weight class for 15-16 years and winning medals continuously is very difficult.

– You enjoy reading. Can you share the name of the book you’re currently reading?

– I read books both during travel and at home. I dedicate time every day to read. During Ramadan, I only read the Quran. Before Ramadan, I read James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” and Lev Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.” Before that, I read Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “The Humiliated and Insulted.” Soon, I plan to read Dostoyevsky’s “Notes from Underground.” I enjoy reading books from all genres.