Reug Reug faces unbeaten Malykhin in the ultimate test
This Friday in Bangkok, Reug Reug will challenge Anatoly Malykhin for the heavyweight title at One Championship
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This 8 November could be a turning point for Reug Reug. Oumar Kane, to give him his real name, takes on a huge challenge at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok: dethroning the unbeaten Anatoly Malykhin, reigning heavyweight champion of One Championship. The long-awaited fight is charged with tension, with all eyes on this high-level showdown.
Even before the fight, the animosity between the two men boiled over at the official launch event. Tempers flared to the point that Reug Reug and Malykhin had to be separated to stop things getting out of hand. At the press conference, the rivalry intensified, with heated verbal exchanges.
Anatoly Malykhin and Reug Reug had another particularly stormy face-off...#ONE169 @SkySportsNews pic.twitter.com/cSPjWiQs8a
— BOXEMAG (@BoxeMag_com) November 7, 2024
The reigning champion, Anatoly Malykhin, appeared particularly confident and relaxed, even taking a few jibes at his Senegalese opponent: "This guy is dangerous," he said with a smile, speaking about the Thiaroye native. "He's a powerful wrestler. But he's slow and doesn't have good cardio. It will be easy work, easy money." The more aggressive Senegalese hit back bluntly: "Shut up!" before hammering the point home: "I'm different from you. I'm a natural heavyweight and I'm going to become champion naturally." That set the tone ahead of the fight.
On paper, Anatoly Malykhin remains the favourite. The Russian, unbeaten in 14 fights, 12 of them in One Championship, also holds the light heavyweight and middleweight titles, a record that testifies to his absolute dominance. By comparison, Reug Reug, who has a record of 7 fights with 6 wins and one defeat, is on an impressive run of four straight victories.
For the Senegalese wrestler, who burst onto the MMA scene, this is the most prestigious opportunity of his career. But he will need to pull off a real feat to beat Malykhin, a formidable, unbeaten opponent with a flawless record. This explosive clash promises to make One Championship history, pitting the reigning champion's confidence against the determination of Reug Reug, backed by all his compatriots and ready to do whatever it takes to become the new king of the heavyweights.