Ilya Freymanov walked out of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium at ONE Fight Night 11 with a huge win under his belt. After finishing former divisional king Martin Nguyen, the Russian proved it was no fluke with a first-round finish of Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg. And his fellow countryman, Anatoly Malykhin, is among his biggest supporters.
Ilya Freymanaov Praised Over ONE Fight Night 11 Performance
The win did not come without adversity. Freymanov was tagged early by the Mongolian slugger, but he was able to survive. The durability and mental acuity to survive were major reasons the ONE Light Heavyweight and interim Heavyweight World Champion was impressed.
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“He was knocked down by his opponent at the beginning of the fight. It was a very dangerous moment, for sure. His strength is his fighting IQ. He is a very smart fighter,” Malykhin told ONE Championship.
Malykhin did not just stop with praise for the performance. The heavyweight force also predicted big things for Freymanov’s future. With another victory, Malykhin expects the featherweight to contend for and win the ONE Featherweight World Championship.
“Ilya is the next champion. He was a little bit too relaxed during the first minute of the bout; he missed a punch, but then he came back, won the fight, and took home a $50,000 bonus. He has some light injuries, but I think he will be back on track soon, and after one or two more fights, he will fight for the belt,” Malykhin said.
“Sladkiy” is part of the Russian takeover. Already a two-division World Champion, Malykhin is hoping to unify the heavyweight straps later this month. After over a year of waiting, he will finally square off against Arjan Bhullar at ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 23.
The long-awaited heavyweight collision will be Bhullar’s first defense of the gold and put him to the test against one of the brightest stars in the sport. Malykhin’s power shots and solid wrestling have made him one of the most feared athletes on the planet. After ONE Fight Night 11, he appears even more motivated to prove why against the Canadian-Indian star.
ONE Friday Fights 22 will air live on Friday, June 23. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT. The event will air for free across all ONE platforms.
