Before the titles, there was a debut. On 17 May 2008, Merdjidin Yuseinov “The Artist” faced Spas Genov at Sofia’s Universiada Hall. Vasko Alexeev’s personal archive records it as the first official professional bout he arranged.
BoxRec records the debut date. Our archive preserves the story behind it: Tsacho Andreykovski asked for help arranging the bout, and Merdjidin agreed to take it.
Alexey Vasilev’s idea
The idea came from Vasko’s father and coach, Alexey Vasilev. According to the family archive, he encouraged Vasko to use his English and boxing contacts to find paid professional fights for Bulgarian boxers after his own competitive career ended.
It was a new role within the same sport: helping another fighter reach the ring instead of preparing for his own bout. Arranging that first fight put the idea into practice.
Merdjidin accepted the first opportunity
Merdjidin’s debut began his professional record and put the idea behind Alexeev Boxing into practice.
That first professional bout mattered to both men. Vasko had found an opportunity; Merdjidin had the courage to take it. Their decisions together made the beginning possible.
After Sofia, the horizon widened
Later that year came an independently organised event in Ruse in October, followed by the first international trip with Merdjidin, to Basel in December. The photograph at the top of this page is from Basel, not the debut against Genov.
We now look back on Sofia as the start of a long history. At the time, the task was immediate: help one boxer get his first professional opportunity. Each step that followed grew from that work.
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