Policeman and boxer: how an immigrant from Kazakhstan became a star in New York

Dimash Niyazov is a police officer in the United States, as well as a professional boxer, whose fights are watched by millions of fans of this sport from all over the world. Dimash was born in Shymkent (Kazakhstan), moved to the United States at the age of 13. His father, Ismat Niyazov, worked at a construction site in Brooklyn, his mother, Saltanat Zhadraeva, worked as a grocery packer at Key Food, and studied to be a nurse at night, says Inform Bureau. In Forbes.kz Dimash said that he initially wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mother and study medicine in the United States. He even studied at Long Island University as a nurse for 3 years, but then he was fascinated by law enforcement and sports.

As a child, Dimash was very impressed with the film Die Hard, wanted to become the best police officer in New York and save people, like the hero of Bruce Willis. This painting partially influenced his decision to give up medicine and go to the police academy. He now serves with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and is a professional boxer.

He became interested in this sport in Kazakhstan, when he was 4 years old. In Shymkent, the guy trained at the Kazhymukan stadium with the mentor Nurgali Safiullin. He was supposed to participate in the 2008 Olympics in China, was trained with the Kazakhstan national team for two months. However, shortly before the sports forum, Dimash received US citizenship. As a result, he had to give up his Kazakh citizenship and finally settle in America.

He soon won the amateur Metro Championships and Empire State Games in New York. Then he set himself the goal of achieving success in professional boxing.

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Along with serving in the police, Niyazov continues to engage in boxing. In early 2017, Dimash received the New York City Police Officer award. According to him, he and his partner planned an operation to capture and arrest a major drug dealer in Brooklyn. After a successful operation, the guy received an award, after which he gave a long interview to one of the largest publications in the United States and the world, the Wall Street Journal. In the same year he starred in Nurlan Koyanbayev's film "Business in Kazakh in America".

Dimash still serves in the police. His duty is to patrol Brooklyn.

“It seems that I became the very first Kazakhstani who entered the NYPD. The work is wonderful, interesting, but not easy - there are many responsibilities and danger everywhere. NYPD is not only the largest police station in the United States, but also the most famous. It employs 35 police officers, who day and night, seven days a week, maintain order throughout New York, where about 000 million people live. Every year, more than five million calls are made to the 10 rescue service. My main responsibility is to patrol the Brooklyn neighborhoods and answer the calls that go into my area, ”explained Dimash.

In 2018, he and his sweetheart Jennifer Horvatt got married in Hawaii. He often shares photos of his beautiful wife on social networks. Jennifer is originally from Slovakia, works as a nurse in New York, so medicine still entered his life.

In an interview with Forbes.kz, he said that since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of cases of domestic violence in New York has increased by 43%, and the number of cases of pogroms and theft has also increased. 2200 police officers were diagnosed with COVID, while the rest had to be on duty for 12 hours. It is all the fault of the isolation of citizens, many of whom were left without work.

In the spring of 2020, Dimash received the Hero of the World award from the World Boxing Council.

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In February 2021, in Miami, Dimash entered the ring against Argentinean Jonathan Godoy. This meeting was the first after an almost 4-year hiatus. In 2017, Niyazov lost the fight (so far this is his only defeat), and then for a long time could not return to the ring: first due to herniated intervertebral discs, and then due to a pandemic.

Dimash won the February battle. In total, the athlete has 14 victories in professional boxing, 6 of which are knockouts.

Dimash's coach is his father Ismat Niyazov. The guy also has a second coach - Akmal Zakirov. To participate in battles, Dimash's team carefully selects rivals, considers their proposals in detail. He works with New York promoter Sol Misuchemi.

The next competition should be held again in Miami. Now Dimash's dream is to become a champion! He is sure that it will come true. After all, once, having seen the film "Die Hard", he dreamed of becoming the best police officer in New York, and he did it.