Arslanbek Makhmudov was on his way to gatecrashing the heavyweight rankings before he ran into Agit Kabayel last December.
The destructive fighter was building momentum with 17 stoppages from 18 fights, but he was shocked by Kabayel who was able to withstand Makhmudov’s pressure and then scoring a fourth-round stoppage.
The win has elevated Kabayel when many believed that he wasn’t resilient enough to withstand the onslaught of Makhmudov.
Kabayel’s next move is still unconfirmed, but it’s now been made official that Makhmudov will return later this year.
Appearing on the undercard of Christian Mbilli’s battle with Mark Heffron, Makhmudov will be in action on May 25.
The heavyweight contender will go in with Junior Fa, a former opponent of Joseph Parker, and he’ll be looking to get back to winning ways and making an impact at the highest level.
Live on DAZN: Watch Arsen Goulamirian vs. Zurdo Ramirez on March 30