Who Does Arslanbek Makhmudov Face Next After Defeating Takam?
During his last at bat, heavyweight contender Arslanbek “Lion” Makhmudov (15-0, 14 KO’s) kept his perfect record intact. The rough-knuckled boxer accomplished this by defeating long standing veteran Carlos Takam by unanimous decision. While Takam officially snapped Lion’s perfect KO streak, he was floored twice during the contest. With the spoils of war Makhmudov collected was the vacant WBC Silver heavyweight title. By doing, so he added the trinket to his NABA and NABF heavyweight straps.
WHO’S NEXT?
Now the question becomes: what’s next for heavy-handed Russian? Makhmudov is in a good position having signed a multi-year contract with powerhouse promotional company Top Rank. This partnership, combined with his #6 (WBA) and #6 (WBC) rankings, will no doubt put him in position for some very meaningful bouts. Under the WBC umbrella, he is right in striking range of significant fights with #4 Frank Sanchez, #3 Joseph Parker or #2 Joe Joyce.
Or, under the WBA banner, he might want to pursue showdowns with #4 Dillian Whyte or #3 Hughie Fury. Then there is also his stablemate Jared Anderson who has vocalized his desire to dance with the Russian.
Regardless of the direction that he opts to go next, there is no questioning the fact that Lion should be staring at a very bright and busy 2023. Yet, let’s see how everything shakes out before getting lost in fleets of fancy!
By: Bakari Simpson
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