“My motivation is always right beside me” - Anatoly Malykhin fights for family and nothing else
Reigning and undisputed ONE heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight MMA world champion 'Sladkiy' Anatoly Malykhin of Russia says it doesn't take much to get him out of bed in the morning.
One of the hardest workers in the fight game, which has led to wild success in the world's largest martial arts organization, Malykhin says it's not the world titles, the money, or the fame that motivates him to be at his best. It's his family.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Malykhin talked about what he fights for now that he's at the top of the food chain in MMA.
The 36-year-old Kemerovo native said:
"I was very lucky with my wife, she gave me a wonderful baby. What else do I need for motivation? I don’t know, if somebody looks for motivation in some other places, I don’t need that, my motivation is always right beside me."
Needless to say, Malykhin is one of the world's most dominant champions in MMA and is arguably pound-for-pound the best fighter in the sport today.
'Sladkiy' is gearing up to make the first defense of his ONE heavyweight MMA gold when he returns to the ONE Championship ring this weekend.
Fans won't have to wait long to see Malykhin back in action.
Anatoly Malykhin to defend heavyweight strap against Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane at ONE 169 on Prime Video
Undefeated Russian dynamo 'Sladkiy' Anatoly Malykhin will make the first defense of his ONE heavyweight MMA world title when he takes on Senegalese wrestling champion Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane.
The two lock horns in the main event of ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video, which broadcasts live on U.S. primetime from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, November 8.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Amazon Prime Video.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event during fight week.