Two-division ONE World Champion Anatoly “Sladkiy” Malykhin has called his shot for the main event battle at ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II on Prime Video this Friday, February 24. The undefeated 12-0 Russian hulk believes his longtime training partner Fabricio Andrade will claim the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Title in the best way possible – with a devastating finish.
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Speaking to ONE Championship earlier this week, the light heavyweight and interim heavyweight king said, “There can be only one end to this fight – a knockout. I think Fabricio will win, and he will finish Lineker before the fourth round.”
Both Fabricio Andrade and Anatoly Malykhin had a tremendous 2022
Malykhin’s prediction, as bold as it may sound, isn’t coming from thin air. The Russian and Brazilian strikers have pushed themselves to the limit at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, and have evolved into world-class superstars. Combined, they put four rivals to sleep last year.
“Wonder Boy” forced “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il to wince on the canvas with a piercing kick to the liver in June after knocking out Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw with a crushing knee in February. Meanwhile, Malykhin claimed the interim heavyweight crown with a vicious knockout of Kirill Grishenko in February, and then became the first man to defeat Renier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder when he challenged the former two-division titleholder for the light heavyweight strap at ONE on Prime Video 5 in December.
READ MORE – “I Know How He Fights” – Fabricio Andrade Expects to Dominate John Lineker at ONE Fight Night 7
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Equipped with tremendous ground game knowledge and insane power in their strikes, the pair enjoyed a stellar 2022. And they are looking to maintain a similar pace over the next 12 months.
Fabricio Andrade was confident about his victory as well
This is why Malykhin believes his teammate can claim the ONE Bantamweight World Title inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium this Friday. And “Wonder Boy” seems confident of his chances, too.
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In an Instagram post on Monday, the top-ranked contender promised fans they’re in for a treat.“A few more days for you guys to see the best performance of my life,” Andrade posted.