Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was not the only once-feared heavyweight puncher looking to get himself back in the win column last night. As Wilder laboured at times to stop journeyman Tyrrel Herndon in the seventh round in Wichita, Kansas, Russian big man Arslanbek Makhmudov returned to action in Quebec, Canada.

Makhmudov’s Quick KO Win

And though it’s not being disrespectful to say that both Wilder and Makhmudov were matched pretty soft, Makhmudov got the job done in far quicker fashion than Wilder managed.

Facing Ricardo Brown on the Christian Mbilli-Maciej Sulacki middleweight fight, 36-year-old Makhmudov wiped Jamaican-born Brown out inside a round. Brown, a year younger man and unbeaten when stepping into the ring, was taking a big step up in class, and he failed to make the jump.

The two huge guys met in the middle of the ring and Makhmudov blasted his foe with an overhand right to the head, this around the halfway stage of the opening session, and down went Brown. Brown got back up, but he was in bad shape, and the referee decided to call a halt to the bout. Makhmudov is now 20-2(19). Brown falls to 12-1(11).

Makhmudov Bounces Back Strong

With last night’s quick win, Makhmudov put behind him his August loss to Guido Vianello, a defeat that followed a comeback win he had scored after losing his unbeaten record at the hands of Agit Kabayel in December of 2023. Makhmudov is now 2-2 in his last four outings.

Though he was exposed in the Kabayel fight as a bully who can cave in when the pressure comes his way, Makhmudov will always be a big puncher, and maybe he can still feature in some big fights. Makhmudov may never win a world title, but he is fun to watch. Some creative match-making could see the 6’5” “Lion” appear again on some big fight cards.