Big-punching heavyweight brute Arslanbek Makhmudov returns for payback on May 25 following his first loss in December 2023.
In the co-main event of Christian Mbilli’s next outing, the man known as the “Lion” will risk his ranking against the dangerous oceanic giant who defeated him in the amateur ranks, Junior Fa.
Makhmudov, who is 18-1, 17 KOs after losing to Agit Kabayel, spoke exclusively to World Boxing News after the fight. He revealed a broken hand stopped him in his tracks that night.
“It’s simple to understand. I started well in the first round but broke my hand in the second round with a two-place fracture,” Makhmudov exclusively told WBN. “I didn’t realize in the fight that it happened. But I felt something like it became frozen. I didn’t realize that my hand didn’t work with the fracture.
“As everybody knows, my style is not game playing or to win by a point. My style is a puncher, power, and anyone who I go into the ring with expects power. Even my opponent [Kabayel] felt my power in the first round. After I broke my hand, he understood I no longer had my power. When he understood that, he started to attack me. There is nothing I can do because when your hand doesn’t work, you cannot do anything.”
After dusting himself down, he steps back into the ring in Shawinigan to restart his conquest of the heavyweight division. Makhmudov aims to settle an old score. Fa bested Makhmudov via a five-round decision in 2012 in Mumbai, India, as part of the World Series of Boxing.
Discussing the fight, Makhmudov said: “I’ve already faced him in a very close fight that he won when we were amateurs, so I am more than determined to avenge that defeat.
“Honestly, I am happy. It’s good to work on my team’s part to secure a new big fight, especially an excellent one.
“I’ve already faced him in a very close fight that he won when we were amateurs, so I am more than determined to avenge that defeat.”
Makhmudov is thus ready to risk everything upon his return to reconquer the top of the world rankings, where he is currently ranked 10th and 13th by the IBF and WBC.
The event card, featuring Mauritian adoptees Wilkens Mathieu and Mehmet Unal, Alexandre Gaumont, Luis Santana, Christopher Guerrero, and Jhon Orobio, will be unveiled later.
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