Anatoly Malykhin Reflects On First Loss, Vows Revenge Against Reug Reug At ONE 173

The 37-year-old Anatoly Malykhin candidly addressed the factors that led to his heartbreaking split-decision loss against the Senegalese giant, acknowledging that his approach to the fight was fundamentally flawed. The former three-division MMA World Champion pointed to overtraining and mental overload as the primary culprits behind his first career setback.

“I simply overloaded myself with too much. And with me thinking too much, I had too much volume of training that my body couldn’t handle. I was thinking too much about everything,” the Russian revealed.

The defeat marked a shocking end to Anatoly Malykhin’s flawless professional record, as Kane became the first fighter to solve the Russian’s dominant fighting style. “Sladkiy” lost his heavyweight belt, while Kane made history as Africa’s first-ever ONE Championship titleholder.

Anatoly Malykhin Rediscovers Fighting Passion

Anatoly Malykhin emphasized the need for a complete mental reset heading into the highly anticipated rematch, expressing renewed enthusiasm for competition that had been absent during his recent championship reign.

“Nothing is holding me back now. I’ve got the most important thing with me right now – the thirst and pleasure in enjoying what I do. Because in my recent fights, I was going into fights [in a rush], and that was my biggest mistake,” he explained.

The former heavyweight king’s admission reveals the psychological burden that came with maintaining his unprecedented three-division championship status.

Anatoly Malykhin Embraces Hunter Mentality For Heavyweight Rematch

The Russian veteran described his current mindset as that of a predator seeking revenge, having eliminated the negative mental patterns that plagued his preparation for their first encounter. Malykhin’s renewed focus centers on technical improvement and rediscovering his love for the sport.

“Now, I’m a beast on the hunt. I removed all this [negativity] from my head, and I’m simply enjoying every moment again. I’m constantly looking to improve my technique and looking for something new,” he declared with obvious conviction.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for both fighters, as Anatoly Malykhin seeks to reclaim his heavyweight throne while Kane looks to prove his victory wasn’t a fluke. The rematch promises to deliver the definitive answer in their heavyweight rivalry.

ONE 173 takes place on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.