Oleksandr Khizhnyak’s climb through the professional ranks has another landmark: a place among the World Boxing Association’s light heavyweight elite.
The 2024 Olympic champion has entered the WBA’s updated rankings at No. 15 at 175 lbs, confirmation that his transition from amateur dominance to the paid ranks is gathering real momentum.
The move comes on the back of his first professional title, won in August in front of a home crowd in Lviv. Under the lights and with the expectation that follows an Olympic gold medallist, Khizhnyak outclassed Argentine fighter Elias Palacio Durval to claim the WBA Gold International light heavyweight belt.
Judges' Scorecards: 99–91, 98–92, 100–90
There was no doubt on the scorecards. The judges returned tallies of 99–91, 98–92 and 100–90, a spread that underlined just how comprehensively the Ukrainian controlled the bout. He pressed, he dictated, and he banked round after round until the belt was his.
That performance has now been rewarded with a foothold in the world rankings. Fifteenth place might look modest at first glance, but for a fighter still at the start of his professional journey, it is a clear signal: Khizhnyak is already on the radar of the division’s major players.
From Olympic podium to WBA lists in such short order, the trajectory is unmistakable. The question now is how quickly he can turn that new number beside his name into a route toward a full world title shot.
