Arslanbek Makhmudov is done waiting. After his dominant victory over David Allen, the heavyweight powerhouse is calling on Anthony Joshua to honor his promise and step into the ring with him.
Before Makhmudov’s unanimous decision win, he shared a screenshot of a conversation with Joshua, where the British star seemed to agree to a fight — a fight that Makhmudov now demands to happen.
“I’m ready, I did the work,” Makhmudov told Sky Sports. “I came to the UK, I beat Allen. We spoke before the fight, and AJ said if I win, we’ll fight next. So now I’m just waiting for his answer.”
Joshua, who hasn’t fought since his shocking knockout loss to Daniel Dubois last September, is reportedly mulling over his next move, but Makhmudov isn’t backing down.
“Everything’s set up,” Makhmudov continued. “The UK fans know me now, I showed them what I can do. Now it’s about answering the question — when can we fight?”
Makhmudov, who has racked up 19 knockouts in 21 wins, has history with Joshua. Both men share similar amateur losses, but Makhmudov holds victories over the fighters who beat Joshua in the unpaid ranks — Mahammadrasul Majidov and Mihai Nistor. Now, Makhmudov believes it’s time for them to meet as pros.
“We’re similar,” Makhmudov said. “Same age, same height, same weight, and we’ve both faced setbacks recently. It makes sense now — it’s the right time for this fight.”
And as for Joshua’s power? Makhmudov is confident his knockout punch will put it to the test. “We need to find out who’s the better boxer, who’s the better puncher, who can take the better shot,” he said. “That’s why we need to fight.”
It’s clear: Makhmudov is ready. The question is, will Joshua step up and make good on his promise?
