Muhammad Mokaev has shared his perspective on fans comparing his amateur fighting career to that of boxing legend Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Mokaev is scheduled to return to action against Alisher Gabdullin on June 14 in Dubai, UAE, at 971FC. A victory in this bout could potentially lead to his return to the UFC and a fight against Alexandre Pantoja.
Throughout his career so far, the British fighter has displayed remarkable talent, which was significantly honed during an extensive amateur period widely regarded as potentially the best in the history of mixed martial arts.
Given this background, it is understandable that parallels are frequently drawn between Mokaev and `Hi-Tech` Lomachenko.
Muhammad Mokaev Gives His Thoughts on Vasiliy Lomachenko Comparisons
In a truly remarkable amateur career, the acclaimed Vasiliy Lomachenko captivated audiences globally with his exquisite footwork and brilliant boxing intelligence, culminating in an astonishing record of 396 wins and just 1 loss.
While his amateur career was not as long, Muhammad Mokaev conclusively demonstrated his abilities, achieving a perfect 23-0 record and winning the IMMAF World Championships on two separate occasions.
Both decorated athletes have successfully transitioned to the professional ranks. Lomachenko has conquered three different weight divisions, while Mokaev remains undefeated in his first 15 professional fights, with his peak performance likely still ahead.
Despite the comparisons, the MMA fighter responded humbly when asked whether his amateur career measured up to Lomachenko’s. He explained that his journey through the amateur circuit was less about achieving victories and more about deliberately seeking out challenges to refine his skills and identify weaknesses.
He stated:
I think he’s 10x more experienced than me as an amateur.
In amateur MMA, people take it as professional. I only did as many fights as possible in the amateurs to lose. I tried to find somebody to beat me. It maybe sounds a little bit not right, but I’d rather get upset in the amateurs than the professionals.
I tried to find somebody to beat me, and then I’d work more on my mistakes, and then I couldn’t find anyone.
People take the amateurs like a professional career, they pull out, if they’re a little bit injured, they don’t compete, they want everything perfect. That’s why, after six or seven amateur fights, people go professional because they can’t cope with this atmosphere.
I think people shouldn’t be afraid of losing in the amateurs, we should go out there, just compete, win, lose, it doesn’t matter, nobody cares.
Muhammad Mokaev`s Upcoming Opponent is Training in Dagestan
With Mokaev`s upcoming fight at 971 FC fast approaching, he is training intensely, aiming to deliver an explosive performance that will capture the attention of the UFC.
Meanwhile, his opponent, former Oktagon champion Gabdullin, is making significant efforts to prepare for the upset by training in Dagestan alongside prominent fighters, including Islam Makhachev.
While training with the sport`s pound-for-pound number one is undoubtedly excellent preparation, Mokaev believes his opponent has overlooked one crucial detail.
`The Punisher` responded sharply on his Instagram story:
They go to Dagestan, but they forget I was born in Dagestan.
Gareth Pendleton