Russian heavyweight boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov suffered a viral eye injury during his recent bout against Guido Vianello at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. The ringside doctor was forced to stop the action in the eighth round as the swelling around Makhmudov’s left eye had become concerningly worse.
Days after the TKO loss, Makhmudov took to Instagram to share the extent of the damage. “After multiple head blows, my left eye was completely closed, which is why I couldn’t see all the attacks from the right and the doctor stopped the fight in the 8th round,” he wrote. Despite the setback, the Mozdok native remained optimistic, adding, “Alhamdulillah in any position, [I] did everything I could.”
The photo Makhmudov shared on social media was a stark testament to the nature of the sport. His left eye was completely shut, and a mosaic of black and blue had bulged out of his face due to the swelling. Vianello had landed multiple right-hand shots throughout the bout, causing Makhmudov’s eye to shut completely.
At the end of the seventh round, Makhmudov looked visibly hurt and shaky. The official allowed him to continue, but the doctor ultimately waived the contest off at the 2:58 mark of the eighth round to prevent further damage.
This loss marked the second defeat in Makhmudov’s career. His first came in a TKO loss to Agit Kabayel in December, which he later avenged with a second-round knockout over Miljan Rovcanin in May.
Despite the setback, Makhmudov remains a formidable force in the heavyweight division. He holds a 19-2 record with 18 finishes and has won the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title and the WBC-NABF heavyweight title in his impressive career.
Makhmudov looks well….. pic.twitter.com/PmpbcYJqpS
— Tokkerū (@ATokkers5) August 19, 2024
