Photo by SINGAPOREMAVEN
Anatoly Malykhin credits wife for new nickname
One Championship‘s Anatoly Malykhin (10-0) has a new nickname.
The heavyweight fighter meets Kirill Grishenko in the main event of ONE: Bad Blood on Friday, in a bout that will determine the promotion’s interim heavyweight championship.
Ahead of the biggest fight of professional fight of his life, Anatoly Malykhin spoke with ONE Championship officials to discuss why his nickname changed from “Spartak” to “Sladkiy”.
On nickname:
“My lovely wife always calls me ‘sweetie’ (English translation of ‘Sladkiy’). And when she became my manager, she said, ‘I only have one condition: You will be my ‘sweetie,’ and in fights, you will be ‘Sweetie.’”
On wife believing in him when he quit on himself:
“My wife is the one person that believes in me more than I believe in myself.
“I had moments in my life where nobody believed in me. When I began talking to my love, I really had no belief in myself. I had a pretty rough past where people would do me dirty, those very close to me, and I [thought about quitting the] sport maybe three or four times.
“When I met my wife, it was as if there was a new surge of energy. I’ve never felt such newfound drive, ever.”
ONE: Bad Blood fight card:
Anatoly Malykhin vs. Kirill Grishenko – 265 lbs
Jonathan Haggerty vs. Mongkolpetch Petchyindee – 135 lbs
Yosuke Saruta vs. Gustavo Balart – 125 lbs
Rui Chen vs. Mark Abelardo – 145 lbs
Dejdamrong Sor Sor Amnuaysirichoke vs. Danial Williams – 125 lbs
Yodkaikaew Fairtex vs. Sung Hoon Woo – 135 lbs
Mei Yamaguchi vs. Jihin Radzuan – 115 lbs
Dustin Joynson vs. Hugo Cunha – 265 lbs
Heqin Lin vs. Bi Nguyen – 115 lbs
Thomas Narmo vs. Odie Delaney – 265 lbs
Sunoto Peringkat vs. Tial Thang – 145 lbs
