Anatoly Malykhin plans to take both the titles away from Reinier De Ridder

14 July 2022

ONE Interim heavyweight champion Anatoly Malykhin wants to capture the ONE Light Heavyweight and the Middleweight title from Reinier De Ridder.

Reinier de Ridder, the ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champions, has publicly stated his desire to challenge for heavyweight gold and become an unprecedented three-division champion.

For the time being, De Ridder will defend his middleweight title in the main event of ONE 159, while ONE Interim Heavyweight World Champion Anatoly Malykhin will square off against ONE Heavyweight World Champion Arjan Bhullar in an attempt to unify their belts.

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But, regardless of how De Ridder's fight with Vitaly Bigdash goes on July 22, Malykhin believes "The Dutch Knight" will regret attempting to win the heavyweight title.

“[De Ridder] is a good fighter, of course, since he holds two belts and has zero [losses on his] record. He is worthy of respect. He has decent wrestling. He strikes very badly and he is a very slow, protracted fighter. Compared to me, I think I will drop him down in seven minutes, maximum. It would be a big mistake for him to move a category up. He should expect very big trouble. My wrestling is on the highest level, plus my boxing is on a different level. I think he shouldn’t do that,” the Russian noted in his interview with ONE Championship.

He further went on to add that he will be coming after the Light Heavyweight throne and if possible, the Middleweight throne of De Ridder.

“After I become the [undisputed] heavyweight champion, I will definitely go down to his weight, since I’m not a tall heavyweight, and I will take one of [De Ridder’s] belts and become a double-champion.  And who knows, maybe even a triple one? I would go down one [division] more and leave him with nothing at all,” he added.

What do you think of the potential fight between Malykhin and De Ridder? Let us know in the comments below.