HEAVYWEIGHT boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov looked unrecognisable as he showed off a brutal eye injury.
The 6ft 5in giant took to Instagram to share a picture of his face following his defeat to Guido Vianello at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada, on Saturday.
Doctors stopped the fight in the eighth round after the Russian boxer’s left eye fully closed up mid-fight.
Days after the TKO loss, Makhmudov – who weighed in at 18-and-a-half stone for the fight – took to Instagram to show off his eye injury.
The 35-year-old’s face was visibly swollen from the punches he had taken with a black and blue colouration also visible in the area.
Vianello was able to land right-hand hits to the face throughout the fight before doctors stopped the bout at the 2.58 mark of the eighth round.
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Taking to Instagram, he said: “After multiple head strikes, my left eye completely closed, so I didn’t see all the attacks from the right and the doctor stopped the fight in the 8th round!
“AlhamduliLlyah in any position ☝🏻 did everything what I can.”
It is the second pro defeat of Makhmudov’s career and his second KO loss in three.
He also has 19 wins under his belt with 18 KOs.
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On his win, Vianello said: “I am a contender now. I am ready for the world level, and I proved that tonight.
“I thought I beat Efe Ajagba, and I came into this fight with a lot of confidence.
“I was in the best shape of my career, and that showed tonight. I dominated him and then knocked him out.
“I just had to stay composed. There was a knockdown that wasn’t called, but I knew if I stuck to my strategy, I would get the knockout.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk