In an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net, Anatoly Malykhin, TWO-time ONE Championship titleholder across different weight classes, shared his thoughts on Azamat Murzakanov's recent fight against Brendson Ribeiro.
Murzakanov is a championship-level fighter, and I am always impressed by his attitude. He is relentless in the fight and truly passionate about it. His only disadvantage is that he doesn’t speak English, same as me. I would advise Azamat, just like I advise myself every evening, to hire a good English tutor.
“Once Murzakanov learns to speak English, it will be a significant step toward a title fight for him. Azamat is not just a top-5 fighter; he has a title-fight level. He excels in every aspect. Without a doubt, Murzakanov can make it to a title fight. Can he handle Magomed Ankalaev? The winner will be the one who wants it more and puts in the greater effort. Their chances will be nearly equal; both are very talented. It would make for a fantastic fight for the Russian audience," stated Malykhin.
On the night of June 8, light heavyweight Azamat Murzakanov knocked out Brazilian Brendson Ribeiro in the first round. The Russian fighter has 15 wins and no losses on his record. Murzakanov is currently ranked 12th in the light heavyweight division rankings.
