Tyson Fury in danger? Meet the dangerous Arslanbek Makhmudov heavyweight against Fury in a comeback fight | Debate News
Few boxers can match the towering Tyson Fury in size and stature. But the amazing Arslanbek Makhmudov comes close.
A six foot six inch tall, 265lb power puncher, the Canadian based Russian is undeniably intimidating.
Makhmudov is a formidable character. His social media account shows unique training methods. He posted a video of himself hitting his body with a sword, exercising in the deep snow in the mountains, and one of him is seen fighting a bear.
He can certainly be dangerous in the ring, especially early on. In his professional career he has scored 13 goals in the first round. Nicknamed “The Lion,” the 36-year-old with a 90 percent batting average hits hard.
Along with his strict lifestyle, Makhmudov was an experienced boxer. He fought at a high level, defeating Olympic champion Roberton Cammarelle back in 2009 and defeating Mahamadrasul Majidov in 2011. Majidov would win the World Championship later that year, defeating Anthony Joshua in the final.
Makhmudov also knocked out Mihai Nistor, the only novice boxer to stop AJ.
He fought the Romanian in the World Series of Boxing, a brutal format of the sport that pitted novices against each other in five-round style league bouts. Makhmudov had 17 WSB championships and it was a testament to him.
He moved to Canada and worked as a trainer with Marc Ramsay, the man behind another formidable fighter, former undisputed light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev.
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Can Arslanbek Makhmudov be a real threat to Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in the heavyweight division?
He raced to 18-0 as he began his professional career, picking up wins over goaltenders like Mariusz Wach and Carlos Takam along the way.
Makhmudov came up against the undefeated Agit Kabayel in 2023. The German handled him, dropped him three times and stopped him within four rounds. However Kabayel has proven himself to be a world-class fighter, most notably with a surprise win over Zhilei Zhang, and is now the WBC Interim title holder and top challenger to joint champion Oleksandr Usyk.
He also lost to Italian Olympian Guido Vianello, whom Makhmudov had beaten as a rookie.
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Italy’s Guido Vianello scored a knockout victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov with an eighth-round TKO after the doctor stopped the fight due to an eye injury to the Russian heavyweight.
Doncaster’s Dave Allen has been in charge recently, having come a long way since his unanimous victory last October.
Why beating Fury is his ‘dream’
Ten years ago, Makhmudov was a young boxer who saw Fury dethrone Wladimir Klitschko to become the unified world champion and the best heavyweight in the world.
From that moment on, Makhmudov wanted to fight him. His wish will come true when they fight on April 11 in the UK.
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Watch highlights of Arslanbek Makhmudov’s TKO victory over Raphael Akpejiori.
“For me, it’s a dream fight. My whole life it was a dream to fight him, even before I started my professional game 10 years ago. He was already a world champion, so it was a dream to fight him,” said Makhmudov. Sky Sports News.
“I’m really happy you picked me. I did a good job against Dave Allen in October, so I think the UK fans know me now so it’s a good fight.
“I feel good about myself. I have lost a few times, but everyone has lost something. I feel happy because my few wins have given me good confidence in myself.
“I’m going to do my best, do my job, and I’m going to win.”
