Few fighters arrive in ONE Championship with as much raw experience as Akif Guluzada.
Born and raised in Baku, Azerbaijan, the kickboxer grew up in a supportive household shaped by his father’s military discipline and his mother’s dedication to education. A brief stint in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, during his early school years added another dimension to his upbringing before he returned home.
Sport was always central to his life. Guluzada started swimming at age three, moved into karate a couple of years later, and then discovered kickboxing after being captivated by the performances of Chingiz Allazov – the former ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion and Azerbaijani compatriot who would later become a training partner.
Guluzada spent his youth competing at the amateur and junior level, racking up more than 200 bouts before turning professional in 2020. The wider world took notice in 2021, when he was named Young Athlete of the Year at the Global Stars Awards in his homeland – a proud moment that came with the weight of expectation attached.
When he finally arrived on the ONE Friday Fights circuit in July 2024, he was ready. Guluzada looked dominant in his promotional debut, taking a unanimous decision victory. Then, he rattled off a pair of knockout victories to secure his life-changing US$100,000 contract and spot on ONE Championship’s global roster.
He also received the nickname, “King,” by a coach — not as a statement of arrogance, but as a reflection of the presence he brings inside the ring. The way he controls the tempo, walks forward, and makes opponents fight on his terms earned him the moniker, and he has worn it naturally ever since.
Now being mentored by Allazov and training under the guidance of Mehdi Zatout — the coach who helped Nabil Anane and Asadula Imangazaliev claim ONE World Title gold — Guluzada is exactly where he needs to be. Kings don’t wait for their moment. They create it.
