Following his flawless 70-second performance against Junior Anthony Wright on October 28th, EOTTM protege Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 KOs) returns to Riyadh for what promises to be his biggest career test against undefeated world contender Agit Kabayel (23-0, 15 KOs).

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to return to Riyadh for a significant fight against an opponent of Agit Kabayel's caliber. This is a golden opportunity to showcase all the hard work Arslanbek Makhmudov has put in the gym with the team. He can demonstrate that he truly is the Lion of the Jungle," stated EOTTM President Camille Estephan.

Since arriving in Montreal, Arslanbek Makhmudov has rapidly proven to be one of the most dangerous boxers. In 2019, he secured the Continental Americas belt by becoming the first man to stop Jonathan Rice. That same year, he added the NABF and NABA titles to his collection. In 2022, he defeated Carlos Takam to claim the Silver belt and solidify his place at the top of the rankings. Notably, he handed Raphael Akpejiori his first defeat in his American debut in July and then demolished former world title challenger Junior Anthony Wright in his first appearance at Riyad Season, winning over the hearts of the Saudis, who promptly expressed interest in having him box on their next card.

"I loved fighting in Saudi Arabia, and I am very grateful that the Saudis are giving me this opportunity again. He's a good opponent, and it will be a good test for me. I'm really looking forward to this fight," exclaimed Makhmudov.

Standing at 6'3" and weighing 240 pounds, Agit Kabayel has remained undefeated over 12 years in the professional arena. During this time, the German-Turkish fighter has twice claimed the European championship, defeating the likes of two-time world title challenger Derek Chisora, Ukrainian Andrii Rudenko, and Croatian puncher Agron Smakici. With his winning record, he now seeks to challenge the elite in the division while being ranked in the top three federations: 9th IBF, 12th WBO and 12th with the WBA.

"Arslanbek will face his toughest opponent to date on December 23rd. Kabayel is a well-rounded fighter and hits hard with both hands. He notably defeated the very dangerous Derek Chisora. The goal of the fight is clear: to show that we are in a different league," commented Makhmudov's trainer and EOTTM's director of development, Marc Ramsay.

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