The long awaited fight between Anatoly Malykhin and Arjan Bhullar is just days away but the war of words between the two heavyweights rages on. The Russian is unhappy about the length of time it has taken for his opponent to accept the fight.
The two are set to face off at ONE Friday Fights 22 this week but it sounds like Malykhin is still worried that Bhullar might find an excuse to pull out of the fight.
“I was glad to see his name on the contract when I got sent it. He’s already signed contracts three or four times and never showed up to a fight. Therefore, we will see what happens this time. The important thing is that he makes an effort to get himself right to the ring.”
Anatoly Malykhin TRULY made a name for himself in 2022 🏆 The Russian powerhouse became a two-division king – and he is looking for MORE next year 🤯#WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/RcKdyJEfAH
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) December 27, 2022
Not a champion
When Bhullar does appear in the ring at Lumpinee Stadium on Friday night he is unlikely to be welcomed with a warm embrace from his opponent. Malykhin says that the Canadian is ‘not a champion’ because it has taken him so long to defend the belt,
“I believe that a man who doesn’t fight and who has been holding up the whole division for over two years is not a champion. He should not be fighting in any league at all.”
The two will finally get to settle their well publicized differences in the ring. Having spent the best part of a year trash talking his opponent Malykhin is very confident he will be able to finish the job on Friday,
“He has no chance at all. I’ll just knock him out. He’ll last until the second round at the most. There is no chance for him to last for five rounds.”
What. A. KNOCKOUT! Anatoly Malykhin 🇷🇺 takes out Amir Aliakbari with a DEVASTATING left hook! 💪 #ONERevolution #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/8XHGZLpIlj
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) September 24, 2021
In the distance
Malykhin has finished all his ONE Championship fights inside the distance and captured two titles in the process. He is one of the best boxers in the heavyweight division and says he wants to be a crowd pleaser,
“I always aim for a knockout. I always try to be faster than my opponents and give a good show. I have to give it my all so that the audience enjoys those moments.”
While Lumpinee Stadium has seen more than its fair share of knockouts over the years not many of them have involved men weighing well over 200lbs. Malykhin is a long term resident in Thailand but this will be his first time fighting there.
He thinks the fans at the famous stadium are in for a treat and pledges to give them what might be their very first taste of a heavyweight knockout,
“My fight with Bhullar is worth watching simply because I will be knocking him out. Everyone loves knockouts, when big boys fall down. Beautiful!”
