Heavyweight puncher Arslanbek Makhmudov has told World Boxing News he will be back better than ever following his first loss.
The big-punching juggernaut suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Agit Kabayel on December’s ‘Day of Reckoning‘ card in Saudi Arabia.
Makhmudov was a pre-fight favorite heading into battle but suffered a broken hand that left him defenseless. Speaking to WBN this week, Makhmudov is healing well and plotting his comeback in the next few months.
Asked how he reflects on his first defeat if he’d watched the fight back yet, Makhmudov was keen to point out the early incident that halted his attacks.
“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 insisted to WBN. “I didn’t realize in the fight that it happened, but I felt something like it became frozen. I didn’t realize that with the fracture, my hand didn’t work.
“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 understands that, he starts to attack me. There is nothing I can do because when your hand doesn’t work, you cannot do anything.”
On whether he plans to make any significant changes moving forward, Makhmudov responded: “Yes, of course, for sure.
“Sometimes a loss is better than a win because you get too relaxed. This has woken me up, and I now understand that I must train harder on the next professional level. I will change my training and my mind. I have to give everything.
Concluding with his plan for the next twelve months, “The Lion” stated: “I have some goals and targets to be a champion.
“Before, I just trained with my left hand, and now I am starting to train with my right hand. After I am done, I think I will be ready to fight. I hope so,” he concluded.
At 18-1 and with seventeen big wins coming by way of knockout, the 34-year-old still has much to offer the division. His power alone is enough to mix it with the fighters at the top level.
Unfortunately, incidents like those in Riyadh are all part of the sport. Makhmudov will undoubtedly put his injury behind him and return to roar again.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
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