Kharitonov out to earn attention the hard way
To Kharitonov (17-4), who faces Andrei Arlovski in a first-round match on Saturday, that’s perfectly acceptable, even preferable. “To be…
To Kharitonov (17-4), who faces Andrei Arlovski in a first-round match on Saturday, that’s perfectly acceptable, even preferable.
“To be honest with you, it’s OK for me not to get all the attention,” he said through a translator earlier this week. “I don’t necessarily want the attention until I prove myself and prove that I deserve the attention. I understand I haven’t fought in the United States since 2007 when I fought in Las Vegas. So people don’t know me right now, but that’s OK. I’d rather not get the attention until I do something to deserve it.”
The 30-year-old was probably the most surprising addition to the tournament field, but more due to his inactivity rather than anything else. Since knocking out Overeem in Sept. 2007, Kharitonov has fought just three times — once apiece in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He’s gone 2-1 in that span.