ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar may have been watching from the sidelines for the last two years, but the Indian superstar is ready to remind fans who is king in his highly anticipated return next weekend.
“Singh” (11-1) takes on interim heavyweight king Anatoly Malykhin (12-0) in a ONE heavyweight world title unification bout at ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23, inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and he’ll be facing his most challenging opponent in the Russian powerhouse.
Malykhin has risen to prominence in Bhullar’s absence, scoring four finishes from as many fights and claiming both the ONE interim heavyweight and the undisputed light heavyweight world titles.
He now sits comfortably as one of the most dominant stars on the Singapore-based promotion’s roster.
But Bhullar is world champion for a reason, and here are three reasons why he can turn away the challenge of Malykhin when they square off on June 23.
1. He can seriously wrestle
Malykhin’s wrestling career in his homeland is well documented, but Bhullar will be bringing his own fire to the canvas at ONE Friday Fights 22.
“Singh” began wrestling at a young age, and his collegiate run in the sport saw him win two NAIA Championships.
The 36-year-old’s dominance culminated in a gold medal at the 2012 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, and his skills have played an integral part in his professional mixed martial arts career.
There is little doubt that Bhullar will cause Malykhin problems if the action hits the canvas on June 23, and that area could well be his key to victory against the surging superstar.
2. He is slick with his hands
Bhullar is not simply a wrestler. He has hands, too, which he hasn’t been afraid to use in his two ONE outings to date.
On debut, the Indian sensation outboxed Italian slugger Mauro Cerilli en route to a unanimous decision.
Along the way, he caused maximum damage to his foe’s face, and by the end of the fight, Cerilli’s eye was swollen shut due to hard combinations thrown by Bhullar.
The best was yet to come, though, as the Canada-based heavyweight used precise boxing and ferocious body attacks to break down and stop four-time ONE heavyweight world champion Brandon Vera in his next appearance.
Bhullar claimed the ONE heavyweight world title with the win, and he’ll likely try to utilize that same power against Malykhin.
3. He has gone the distance seven times
Should he withstand the early onslaught that Malykhin will undoubtedly offer in the ring on June 23, Bhullar has the experience and the gas tank to drag the interim king into deep water.
Across his 11-1 career, “Singh” has gone the distance seven times, including a five rounder in 2016.
Malykhin, on the other hand, is undefeated at 12-0, but he has only seen the second round on two occasions.
That may seem like a damning statistic for any potential opponent of “Sladkiy’s,” but it also means the 35-year-old has yet to be tested in a long affair.
Drawn-out battles are where Bhullar shines, and the returning heavyweight king certainly possesses the skills to test Malykhin in every area if the fight goes past the opening rounds.
