08 April, 2019

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Avtandil Khurtsidze is a Georgian boxer holding the WBO interim middleweight in 2017 and the IBO middleweight title in 2011. Avtandil has a nickname – Chakucha or a hammer. He is called this due to his fighting style.His known with another nickname in Europe though – Tornado.Avtandil was arrested in June 2017. He was charged with involving in criminal cases and for his role in a Russian and Georgian crime syndicate in New York. He won the interim middleweight worldtitle in April 2017 in Leicester, England, and knocked out Tommy Langford in the fifth round. He was supposed to fight full middleweight titlist Billy Joe Saunders on July 8 in London, but missed his chance – the fight was ultimately canceled, because of his charges.Georgian Journal offers its readers some of the extracts from the boxer’s exclusive interview with Kviris Palitra.“I am innocent. I still hope for freedom. I am just worried that I was tried as a Russian Mafiosi even though I was accompanied by 4 translators during the trial. I was serving a sentence with murderers and cannibals. Even if I am taken to a worse place, I promise Georgians that I will be the first with my honesty, discipline, and regime. I have never been a troubled man, I would run against a speedy train for justice, honesty and bravery and I am already doing that.”If I had pleaded guilty, I would have to serve a 3-year sentence. Besides, I would have to pay 200 000 $ fine and being deported. I am asking for the evidence that has not been revealed yet. Their own agents brought false evidence.I don’t think so but it is obvious that the prosecutors took advantage of the incident. 5 years were added to my sentence just because of the fight and besides, the administration put me in a special cell. Do you think it is fair? I was the only person taken to the hospital after the incident. I protested and the retrial will take place. I lost over a liter of blood but it was still used against me. It was said that I helped Shulaya and that there were a knife and a pond of blood but no one specified to whom they belonged.According to Avtandil Khurtsidze, when he saw 15 men were fighting against one Georgian (they had eaten out of Shulaya’s palm), he tried to help him. The Georgian boxer says he is ready to die in prison unless he is pleaded guilty.