Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov has taken on some major names during his young career at heavyweight, including a former world champion megastar.
Preparing for a massive headliner this weekend in Sheffield, former titleholder Arslanbek Makhmudov will duke it out with veteran British favorite Dave Allen — with a high-profile potential pairing with Deontay Wilder awaiting the winner.
And during his initial rise to an impressive 20-2 professional record, Makhmudov — who towers at 6ft 6ins — scored a dominant win over a former world champion.
The champion in question is a well-seasoned one, too, who twice shared the ring with Ukrainian icon Wladimir Klitschko in a close pair of contests.
- THROWBACK — Russian giant scored scary 7-punch combo in one of the most brutal knockouts in heavyweight history
Arslanbek Makhmudov’s stunning knockout of Samuel Peter
In just his tenth professional fight, Makhmudov would draw ex-WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter, who had fought both Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko during his esteemed career in the sport.
And during his first of two pairings with the younger Klitschko brothers, Peter would force the Ukrainian megastar to the twelfth round.
Scoring a trio of knockdowns against Klitschko in the process, Peter would find himself on the wrong side of a unanimous decision loss to the WBC-NABF heavyweight champion, dropping his first professional loss.
While Anthony Joshua beat Andy Ruiz to reclaim his belts yesterday, another Nigerian was as well beaten as Arslanbek Makhmudov beat Samuel Peter to defend his NABF heavyweight title.
FIRST ROUND KNOCK OUT : Samuel Peter couldn’t battle past one round. pic.twitter.com/UkFwHx3dGf
— Larinzo🦁 (@ilarinzo) December 8, 2019
However, in his retirement bout, the Nigerian knockout star was forced out of the contest with Makhmudov inside just two and a half minutes, courtesy of an overhand shot which brutally wobbled him.
Arslanbek Makhmudov’s tie to Anthony Joshua
Despite competing at the highest level of the sport for just over five years, Makhmudov shares a relatively notable common foe with former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Off the back of his win over Peter, Makhmudov would share the ring with former world heavyweight title challenger Carlos Takam in a bout for the WBC silver heavyweight crown.
And forced the distance by the steely Cameroonian veteran, Makhmudov landed a decision win.
When pitted with Joshua for world spoils five years prior, Joshua would stop Takam with a tenth-round knockout win in a massive showdown in Cardiff.
