Mikhail Viktorovich Chalykh — (; russian: Михаи́л Ви́кторович Ча́лых; born November 20, 1983) is a retired

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

kickboxer Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...

. He is a Merited Master of Sports in kickboxing as well as a World Champion (2006), a European Champion (2004) and a three-time Russian National Champion in kickboxing (2004, 2005 and 2007).

Early life

Mikhail Chalykh was born in

Volgograd Volgograd ( rus, Волгогра́д, a=ru-Volgograd.ogg, p=vəɫɡɐˈɡrat), geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn (russian: Цари́цын, Tsarítsyn, label=none; ) (1589–1925), and Stalingrad (russian: Сталингра́д, Stal ...

. At 16 years old, his childhood friend and future promoter, Maxim Voronov, introduced Chalykh to kickboxing at the gym of Viktor Petrovich Tuliev.

Career

Professional

Chalykh started his professional career in 2004 and up until his first retirement in late 2007, he had only lost once in a close decision against

Kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...

legend,

Dmitry Shakuta Dmitry "Shok" Shakuta ( be, Дзмiтрый Віктаравіч Шакута, born August 7, 1980) is a Belarusian Muay Thai super middleweight kickboxer fighting out of Minsk, Belarus for the SK-55 gym. He is an eight-time amateur and profess ...

. Over his short professional career, he won the National WBKF (World BARS Kickboxing Federation) title three times. Additionally, in December, 2004, Chalykh knocked out two-time French National Champion in Kickboxing and Savate, Sylvio Danois for the WBKF European title. His most notable career wins came against WAKO World Full-Contact Champion Denis Grachev, Kickboxing and Muay Thai legend,

Artem Levin Artem Valeryevich Levin (russian: Артё́м Вале́рьевич Ле́вин; born December 8, 1986), also known as Artem "The Lion" Levin, is a Russian middleweight Muay Thai kickboxer fighting out of Prokopyevsk. He is the former Glory ...

, and Kickboxing legend,

Artur Kyshenko Artur Kyshenko ( Ukrainian: Артур Кишенко, born November 14, 1986) is a Ukrainian middleweight kickboxer, fighting out of Kyshenko Gym. He is the 2015 Kunlun Fight 80 kg Tournament World Champion and K-1 World MAX 2008 Finalist. ...

WBKF World Championship

In 2006, the WBKF organized a one-night 4-man tournament consisting of the best -76 kg fighters under their banner to fight for the WBKF World Championship. In the first round, Russian kickboxing great, WBKF Eurasian Champion, Vladimir Tyuin beat WAKO World Champion and WBKF Eurasian Champion, Kyrgyz, Katanbek Sydygaliev by unanimous decision. On the other side of the bracket, Chalykh beat two-time Ukrainian National Muay Thai Champion and 2006 I.F.M.A. World Championship gold medalist,

by split decision. In the Final of the tournament, despite losing the first round, Chalykh came back from behind in the last round to win, again, by split decision. He had won his first, and only professional World title of his career.

Amateur

As an amateur, Chalykh was a two-time World Champion (2002, 2005), a European Champion (2004) and four-time Russian National Champion (2002, 2006, 2007, 2011). His most notable tournament was in the 2005 World Championships where he beat

L'houcine Ouzgni L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni (born 10 March 1983) is a Dutch-Moroccan Light Heavyweight/Middleweight Muay Thai kickboxing, kickboxer fighting out of Amsterdam, Netherlands for Top Team Beverwijk. Aussie is a firm fan favorite in the Netherlands due ...

and Yuri Karbechou, whom he would lose to in the Final of the next European Tournament (2006), for the gold medal.

Retirement

At the end of the year of 2007, after beating Draženko Ninić, Chalykh retired at 24 years old, with a record of 18–1, reportedly due to knee injuries.

Comebacks

2011 WAKO Russian National Tournament

After four years away from the ring, Chalykh came back to compete in the WAKO Russian National Tournament heavier than he had ever been, at 81 kg. He stated that during his time off, he had healed his knees and fixed a tooth. According to himself, Chalykh started training for the tournament just three months before. He ran through his competition with relative ease and beat Murat Talipov in the Final to win his fourth amateur National title and last title amateur or professional.

Late career comebacks

In 2014, Chalykh participated in the Amateur

Kickboxing Open, it was his first fight after over two years away from the sport. In 2015, eight years after his last professional fight, at 31 years old, Chalykh decided to make his comeback heavier than he'd ever been at 85 kg against Moroccan, Samir Boukhidous on the undercard of Glory 20: Dubai. He lost by TKO in round 1 after getting knocked down twice. After this, he returned to the Amateur ranks where he participated in the National Tournament. He went 2–1 in the tournament, losing his third fight by, reportedly, controversial decision. Chalykh decided to sit out 2016 and not go to the World Championships. Two years after his last professional comeback, at 33 years old, Chalykh attempted another one as he had stated that he wants to fight in GLORY again. He was scheduled to face

Filip Verlinden Filip Verlinden (born 26 December 1982) is a Belgian kickboxer who competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Verlinden was introduced to the sport at an early age and came to prominence in 2008 when he won the WKA European Super C ...

who had just challenged for the

Enfusion Enfusion is a Dutch kickboxing promotion company based in Alkmaar, Netherlands. It produces events worldwide, which showcase twelve kickboxing weight classes (7 male and 5 female). Enfusion held its first event in 2013 in the Zwembad Sporthal i ...

Middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have be ...

(85 kg) title. Chalykh won by unanimous decision. This was his first professional win in over ten years and it would be his last career win as he lost his last two fights in 2018 against Aurel Ignat and

Belarusian Belarusian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Belarus * Belarusians, people from Belarus, or of Belarusian descent * A citizen of Belarus, see Demographics of Belarus * Belarusian language * Belarusian culture * Belarusian cuisine * Byelor ...

Kickboxing Legend,

Igor Bugaenko Igor Bugaenko (born 1981), also known as Ihar Buhaenka, is a Belarusian kickboxer, who has been professionally competing since 2008. He is the former SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Champion, and two-time Tatneft Arena World Cup winner, in 2008 and 20 ...

Titles

Professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

** 2007 WBKF Russian Champion - 76 kg ** 2006 WBKF World Champion - 76 kg ** 2005 WBKF Low-Kick Russian Champion - 76 kg ** 2004 WBKF European Champion - 76 kg ** 2004 WBKF Russian Champion - 76 kg *

Amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...

** 2011 WAKO Russian Champion - 81 kg ** 2007 WAKO Russian Champion - 75 kg ** 2006 WAKO Russian Champion - 75 kg ** 2006 WAKO European Championship runner-up - 75 kg ** 2005 WAKO World Muay Thai Champion - 75 kg ** 2005 WAKO Russian Championship runner-up - 75 kg ** 2004 WAKO European Champion - 81 kg ** 2004 WAKO Russian Championship runner-up - 81 kg ** 2002 WAKO Russian Champion - 75 kg ** 2002 WAKO World Champion - 75 kg

Professional record

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Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

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Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

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Dubai, UAE Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

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Budva Budva ( cnr, Будва, or ) is a Montenegrin town on the Adriatic Sea. It has 19,218 inhabitants, and it is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budva riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism, kno ...

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Novosibirsk Novosibirsk (, also ; rus, Новосиби́рск, p=nəvəsʲɪˈbʲirsk, a=ru-Новосибирск.ogg) is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast and Siberian Federal District in Russia. As of the Russian Census ...

, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 5 , , 3:00 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2006-06-07 , , Win , , align=left, Evgeniy Mityugin , , Fight Club Arbat , ,

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, , Decision (Split) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - ! colspan="9" style="background:white" , Wins 2005 WBKF Low-Kick -76 kg Russian title , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2005-05-04 , , Win , , align=left, Dmitriy Kirpan , , Fight Club Arbat , ,

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, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2004-10-06 , , Win , , align=left, Denis Grachev , , Fight Club Arbat , ,

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, , Decision (Split) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2004-03-16 , , Win , , align=left, Islam Tsomaev , , "Kristall" Cup , ,

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, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , - , colspan=9 , ''Legend'':

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalykh, Mikhail Russian male kickboxers 1983 births Living people Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR Sportspeople from Volgograd