Christian Mbilli isn’t the only one making a quick turnaround on Top Rank’s August 17th Quebec show. Heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov, who shared a card with “Solide” last month, will meet Guido Vianello in the co-main event.
Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KO) built a head of steam with a series of quick knockouts and a hard-fought decision over Carlos Takam, but found himself at the mercy of Agit Kabayel’s body attack when they met in November. His return to the ring saw him clobber Miljan Rovcanin, and while that says exactly nothing about whether he’s stepped up his game, that loss to Kabayel has aged quite well.
Vianello (12-2-1, 10 KO) has never quite found his footing in the pro ranks despite an Olympic pedigree, drawing with Kingsley Ibeh in 2020 before suffering a cut stoppage against Jonathan Rice three years later in a fight he was winning. His last bout saw him fall just short on the cards against Efe Ajagba after nearly stopping him inside of two rounds.
Solid little matchup between two guys in dire need of a big win. It should be fun while it lasts.
“Vianello is a tough fighter but also a very good fighter, as we saw in his last fight,” Makhmudov said. “This is an important step for me. I want to show that I am a top contender, and to get closer to my goal, I must prove that I’m better than this guy.”
“I’m ready to compete against the top heavyweights in the world. This is only the beginning of my journey,” Vianello said. “The fight with Arslanbek is exactly what I wanted at this point in my career, and I look forward to a great fight on August 17 in Quebec City.”
Top Rank regulars Jahi Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KO) and Abdullah Mason (13-0, 11 KO) will be in action on the undercard, as will top super middleweight prospect and Knockout of the Year contender Osleys Iglesias.