“I’m just here to help him” - John Hutchinson reveals Anatoly Malykhin’s excitement after finding his concussive KO power

John Hutchinson knows Anatoly Malykhin's capabilities, but things didn't start that way between the coach and his prized student. In an interview with OG Fight Wear, Hutchinson revealed that he was surprised when the three-division MMA world champion started his ONE Championship career with a couple of highlight-reel knockouts.

Malykhin, while possessing the power to tear down castle walls, began his athletic life as a grappler and eventually became a Master of Sport in Freestyle Wrestling in his native Russia.

Hutchinson knew about Anatoly Malykhin's base but didn't know his student could knock people out with ease.

Tiger Muay Thai's head boxing coach said:

"I’m just here to help him just to get to all his goals. I didn’t know [he had a background in wrestling], in the first fight he came running ‘Johnny!’ he said ‘My first KO!’ You know, he goes ‘Never mind the wrestling, let’s box.’"

Malykhin tallied two first-round knockouts against Alexandre Machado and Amir Aliakbari in his start in ONE Championship, with those initial wins setting him up for a shot at the ONE interim heavyweight MMA world title against Kirill Grishenko.

Just like he did in his first non-title matches in the promotion, Malykhin bludgeoned Grishenko for the second-round finish and claimed his first piece of ONE Championship gold.

The next three fights in Malykhin's run saw the Russian monster capture as many undisputed ONE world titles. Malykhin dropped down a weight class and snatched the ONE light heavyweight MMA world title from Reinier de Ridder at ONE on Prime Video 5.

He then became the ONE undisputed heavyweight MMA world champion when he battered Arjan Bhullar at ONE Friday Fights 22.

At ONE 166 this past March, Malykhin beat de Ridder for the second time to capture the ONE middleweight MMA world title and became an unprecedented three-division king.

Anatoly Malykhin now looks to defend his heavyweight MMA throne when he faces Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane in the main event of ONE 169 on Nov. 8 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.

ONE 169 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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John Hutchinson recalls how one fan likened his relationship to Anatoly Malykhin with Mike Tyson and Cus D'Amato

John Hutchinson has been such an important part of Anatoly Malykhin's life that their pairing has been likened to the legendary coach-fighter relationship between Cus D'Amato and Mike Tyson.

In the same interview with OG Fight Wear, Hutchinson recalled:

"He had no English, I had no Russian... A guy once said you’re like the Irish Cus and Russian Tyson. I kind of like that story, you know we came along and connected. Anatoly is a monster, he just needs a guy around him, guidance. I’m just here to guide him in all his goals."