In an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net, former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov expressed his concerns about referee Herb Dean's decision to deduct a point from Anatoly Malykhin during his fight with Oumar Kane.
Anatoly won the rounds on points, except for the first and fifth rounds, and even in the fifth, none of the fighters had clear advantage. Kane obviously landed a shot or two, but so did Anatoly. The yellow card ultimately decided the fight. I saw how Anatoly grabbed the ropes when the African fighter attempted to take him down. Malykhin received a warning then. Later, he either leaned against the ropes or something else happened, receiving a second warning. It's unclear why they deducted a point from him. He wasn’t holding the ropes; his arm just happened to be there before the hit. Taking away a point for that? Kane was the one who threw him into the ropes, yet Herb Dean took a point away. Without the yellow card, Anatoly would have won the fight.
Andrey Koreshkov exclusively for Telecom Asia Sport
"I’m confident that at least one judge would have called it a draw, and the warning worked in favor of the Senegalese fighter. Anatoly won three rounds. The fifth is questionable; it could be a draw. According to the rules, it seems Malykhin lost, but it would be good to clarify the rules with specialists. Kane was well-prepared and absorbed the punches. Anatoly threw many punches that missed, but he also landed frequently, and the African fighter didn’t even flinch. I believe Malykhin underestimated Kane, thinking he could easily overpower his opponent. Even with solid preparation, Oumar still lost the match, but the referee gave him a win due to a very contentious foul after the throw into the ropes. I’d like to hear from the judges; maybe Herb Dean acted correctly,” Koreshkov stated.
Recall, that Anatoly Malykhin lost to Oumar Kane, relinquishing his ONE heavyweight championship title. The bout lasted five rounds, and the judges awarded the victory to the Senegalese fighter by a split decision. A point was deducted from the Russian fighter in the first round. This defeat marks the first of Malykhin's career. Over his professional MMA record, Anatoly has achieved 14 victories. Kane holds a record of seven wins and one loss.