"It would be the hardest fight of my career" - Triple-champ Anatoly Malykhin envisions showdown with Jon Jones

Anatoly Malykhin and Jon Jones [Photos via: ONE Championship]
Anatoly Malykhin and Jon Jones [Photos via: ONE Championship]

Anatoly Malykhin, the first-ever three-division MMA world champion in ONE Championship history, is still at the peak of his powers at age 36 and believes that he could go toe-to-toe with an icon of the sport in the hopes of furthering his own legacy.

'Sladkiy' recently had an interview with Red Corner MMA and said the following about whom he believes would give him the toughest fight of his career:

"For now, let me skip our guys, so it's Jon Jones. Without a doubt. He's the leader. It would be the hardest fight of my career. Very strong mentally and very experienced."

Watch the full interview with Anatoly Malykhin below:

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The ONE middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight MMA world champion has fought in six ONE Championship bouts thus far and has been an utterly unstoppable force of nature, pulling off six total knockout wins.

His most recent fight saw him close the book on his rivalry with Reinier de Ridder by taking the Dutch star's middleweight MMA world title masterfully just this past March to etch himself in the history books of the promotion.


Anatoly Malykhin lambasts would-be heavyweight title contenders

The Russian star has been on the receiving end of some callouts from heavyweight MMA stars spearheaded by rising talent Ben Tynan, accusing him of holding up the heavyweight division.

As expected, Malykhin did not take such statements lightly and recently took aim at Tynan and other potential contenders for his heavyweight MMA world title in the form of 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane and Amir Aliakbari through Instagram.

Though he has not yet been booked to fight again this year, Malykhin's competitive nature may soon see him back inside the Circle sooner than expected.

The only question then is who gets the first shot at his ONE heavyweight MMA world championship.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi
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