ONE interim heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin is one of the most vicious boxers in the heavyweight division.
He can solidify his place atop the sport when he takes on ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar in a unification bout for the ONE undisputed heavyweight world title at ONE Friday Fights 22. The colossal matchup takes place this Friday at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
Malykhin’s quick ascent in ONE Championship is due to his exceptional kickboxing skills and monstrous hard-hitting power. Thus far, not one opponent has been able to put a s top to his vicious strikes, let alone world champions.
He bulldozed his way to an interim world title opportunity after two consecutive first-round finishes, to eventually defeat highly touted heavyweight contender Kirill Grishenko in February 2022.
Malykhin’s most impressive win, however, happened at the 225-pound weight limit. Weighing in less than normal, the Russian hard-hitter possessed a combination of speed and power, unlike anything fans had seen before.
It was this new and improved version of Anatoly Malykhin that destroyed Reinier de Ridder’s undefeated winning streak and claimed the ONE light heavyweight world title at ONE on Prime Video 5. The Russian was 11-0 when he knocked out the former two-division world champion unconscious in the first round.
The resounding hammer fists at the end, are a testament to Malykhin’s terrifying power in ONE Championship. Now the owner of two belts, Malykhin just needs one more to cement his legacy as the No.1 heavyweight in the world.