The Russian heavyweight talks to BoxSport about the viral bear fight and his mega-fight against Tyson Fury on April 11 in Great Britain.
Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov is about to have the biggest fight of his career. On April 11, the brute puncher will meet Tyson Fury in Great Britain – the venue in the United Kingdom is still to be decided. Makhmudov (21-2, 19 knockouts) will be making his second consecutive appearance in the British Isles after defeating David Allen unanimously on points last October.
However, the 36-year-old has not only made headlines in the ring recently. Makhmudov went viral worldwide when a video emerged showing him wrestling with a wild bear in the Russian wilderness. In an exclusive interview with BOXSPORT, the heavyweight explained how this incredible scene came about.
“That’s really crazy,” Makhmudov said with a laugh. “A friend asked me if I wanted to do it. It was a challenge for me, something where I wanted to test myself.” Together they drove to a wooded area near Moscow. “When we arrived, I could hear the bear from 150 meters away. I swear, it can be extremely frightening. Those noises – it can kill you in a second.”
The man with the heavy fists had to laugh again as he told the story. Makhmudov had another anecdote ready when jokingly asked whether he would soon be wrestling a bear again.
“I spoke to my mother beforehand,” he explained. “I think she misunderstood me. I said to her: ‘I’m going to the forest tomorrow. She just said, ‘Okay, go’. So I went.” It was only later that the family saw the video on the internet. “My mother wanted to kill me,” said Makhmudov with a grin. “Even my uncle wrote to me and asked if I was crazy. Everyone said I was a professional athlete and shouldn’t do something like that.”
Now the focus is back on Tyson Fury. Makhmudov has proven that even the wildest challenges do not deter him.