It’s going to show to be a really robust, lengthy street again for Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov. As followers know, the enormous, seen as an actual menace for the world title only a few months again, suffered a fairly dangerous beating in being stopped by new “Italian Stallion,” Guido Vianello. The combat occurred in Quebec Metropolis, Canada, on the beneath card of the Christian Mbilli-Sergey Derevyanchenko slugfest.
Dropped within the seventh spherical (Makhmadudov’s hand touching down, however with the referee lacking it), 35 yr outdated Makhmudov’s left eye had been swelling up badly by spherical three and it was wanting like a foul evening for him. Issues bought worse, and at last, Makhamudov, who was shedding the combat earlier than his eye went, was pulled out after simply two seconds of spherical eight.
Now 19-2(18) – Makhamudov’s different loss coming by stoppage to Agit Kabayel again in December – the Russian large might nicely be completed as a prime contender. As for Vianello, a former Olympian who superior to 13-2-1(11) with final evening’s win, the 30 yr outdated who truly goes by the nickname of “The Gladiator,” might show to be the darkish horse of the heavyweight division.
An excellent fighter, crushed solely by Efe Ajagba (this through break up determination again in April of this yr, Vianello believing he deserved the win) and by Jonathan Rice (who stopped him on a minimize eye in January of 2023), Rome’s Vianello will nearly actually get one other large combat alternative quickly sufficient. At a powerful 6’9,” Vianello is just not solely tall, he’s additionally athletic, he can punch, and he has a very good chin.
There may very well be some attention-grabbing fights on the market for Vianello over the approaching months. Vianello now believes he’s a severe world title contender. “I’m a contender now,” he stated after successful final evening. “I’m prepared for the world stage, and I proved that tonight.”
Possibly he did. As for Makhmudov, he might name for a rematch with Vianello, however the future does look fairly bleak for the “Lion,” a heavyweight who was scaring fairly just a few folks lower than a yr in the past.
