Several fighter-coach partnerships have created absolute magic in combat sports, and the one between Anatoly Malykhin and John Hutchinson is certainly one of the greatest link-ups in the history of the sport of MMA. Malykhin has been under the guidance of Tiger Muay Thai's head boxing coach for a few years now, and the partnership has led to the Russian knockout machine capturing an unprecedented three world titles in ONE Championship.
The two have achieved so much together, that some have likened their partnership to the legendary partnership between coach Cus D'Amato and Mike Tyson.
In an interview with OG Fight Wear's Jim Hawthorne, Hutchinson revealed that his partnership with Malykhin was almost coincidental.
He said:
"He had no English, I had no Russian... A guy once said you’re like the Irish Cus and Russian Tyson. I kind of like that story, you know we came along and connected. Anatoly is a monster, he just needs a guy around him, guidance. I’m just here to guide him in all his goals."
Under Hutchinson's watchful eye, Malykhin didn't just become a world champion, but achieved three-division supremacy.
Anatoly Malykhin reigns as the ONE middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight MMA world champion.
'Sladkiy' also holds a perfect 6-0 record, 14-0 overall, in ONE Championship with all of his wins in the promotion coming by way of knockout.
The triple-champ is now preparing to defend his ONE heavyweight MMA world title against Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane in the main event of the stacked ONE 169 card on Nov. 8 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.
ONE 169 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
John Hutchinson reveals how his partnership with Anatoly Malykhin started
Anatoly Malykhin's connection with his coach John Hutchinson didn't start in a formal setting. Hutchinson revealed in the same interview with OG Fight Wear, and said that Malykhin became his student almost through coincidence.
UFC star Khalil Rountree Jr. was training at Tiger Muay Thai when the gym's head MMA coach at the time George Hickman asked him for some help.
"That guy, one in a million. Anatoly, we’ve had five fights now, George Hickman was the head MMA coach at Tiger Muay Thai at the time. He asked me if I could help Khalil with his boxing, to which we clicked."
Hutchinson added:
"You know, it was good work, and I was looking for a bit of sparring so Anatoly sparred him. Then I went back and we worked. In no time, I was in my first camp with him."