Anatoly Malykhin recalls being a ‘heavy-built kid’ who had trouble running: “I was always the last”

As a kid, Anatoly Malykhin struggled to keep up with the other children during physical activities.

Needless to say, that is no longer the case as Malykhin is leading the charge with not one, but two ONE world championships. On June 23, the Russian juggernaut traded on his interim title for undisputed gold, capturing the ONE heavyweight world championship with a vicious third-round knockout of Arjan Bhullar at ONE Friday Fights 22.

It was another massive win for a man who is quickly establishing himself as the most dangerous heavyweight fighter in the world. But he wasn’t always the heavy-hitting knockout artist fans have come to know and love.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Anatoly Malykhin revealed that he was unable to run with the other kids, typically coming in last due to his heavy frame.

“When we were small and used to do long-distance running as part of training, I was already a heavy-built kid and, of course, could not run in the front. I was always the last or second-to-last one running.”

Clearly, ‘Sladkiy’ found a way to turn his weakness into a strength, parlaying that into an undefeated record in MMA with an incredible 100% finish rate.

Anatoly Malykhin’s hit list includes a murderer’s row of talent that includes streaking heavyweight contender Amir Aliakbari, reigning ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder, and the aforementioned Arjan Bhullar.

What comes next for Malykhin remains to be seen, but after ONE Fight Night 13, all the attention appears to be directed at fellow knockout artist ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane.

Stepping into the Circle for a clash with 17-time BJJ world champion Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida, ‘Reug Reug’ delivered a memorable performance, putting his striking and takedown defense on display en route to a unanimous decision victory over the previously undefeated ‘Buchecha.’

With the win, many believe ‘Reug Reug’ is the next man to face Malykhin inside the Circle. However, Amir Aliakbari may have something to say about that.

Who would you like to see Anatoly Malykhin defend his heavyweight crown against?