The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Today on the huge card in Riyadh, two-time European heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel of Germany pulled off the upset in stopping Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov in the fourth round of a superb action fight.
Kabayel, who used his speed and his movement to good effect, blasted Makhmudov with right hands to the head in the third round, before he switched to the body to score three knockdowns to sensationally end the fight in the fourth round. Time was 2:03. Kabayel is now 24-0(16) and he scored the biggest win of his career today. 34 year old Makhmudov, the older man by three years, loses his unbeaten record in dropping to 18-1(18).
Kabayel, who was unfazed by the scary Makhmudov stare-down, boxed well from the start, his speed of hand and foot evident in comparison to the huge but stiff and lumbering Russian. Makhmudov was looking for the one punch and he had no other obvious game plan.
Makhmudov stalked and he always looked dangerous, but Kabayel was cool and calm, his boxing serving him well.
The third round saw Kabayel break through with a series of hard and crisp rights to the head, and Makhmudov was, for the first time in his pro career, looking distressed. Pushed back, Makhmudov was being caught flush and his return fire was no way as effective as were Kabayel’s series of attacks.
Looking gassed in the fourth, Makhmudov was hit hard and he was hit often to the body ( with one Kabayel shot going low). Makhmudov had no answer whatsoever and the writing, and the upset, was on the wall.
Kabayel looked like a man who was relishing his work, enjoying himself. The big man caved in, the body work too punishing for Makhmudov.
Kabayel, who was quietly confident all week, elevates himself into a great position in the heavyweight division with today’s win. Kabayel deserves a big name in his next fight. As for Makhmudov, he faces a long and hard rebuild after being so badly exposed today.
Plenty of people were excited about Makhmudov and he was expected to go pretty far. Instead, we may have seen a hype job’s bubble burst. Perhaps for good.
