EXCLUSIVE: From going toe-to-toe with Conor McGregor in the gym, to walking Richie Smullen into battle at Cage Legacy 22, Artem Lobov has proved a vital part of SBG, and now he’s ready to pull back the curtain and give the world an insight into his incredible life.
Blessed with technical brilliance and an unrelenting will to win, the Russian has cemented his place in the mixed martial arts history books. In a career that will live long in the memory, the esteemed striker has beaten Paulie Malignaggi in bare-knuckle boxing and even served as the catalyst for the McGregor-Khabib rivalry after the Dagestani slapped him in New York City.
Alas, Lobov and ‘The Notorious’ no longer get on, with the pair embroiled in a court battle over Proper 12 Whiskey. And those wanting all the details may be in luck, as the fan favourite is set to reveal everything in his new autobiography.
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In an exclusive interview with Sporf, the 37-year-old explained: “My autobiography is in the works. It’s going to be a very good one. There’s a lot of good stories. Closer to the time, I’m going to start sharing the stories and do a promotional tour. Petesy Carroll is helping me with it. It’s going to be great once it’s complete.”
Artem Lobov guided Richie Smullen to victory at Cage Legacy 22
While Lobov’s days inside the cage have come to an end, he’s now taking enormous pleasure in passing down his skills to the next generation.
On Friday evening, at The Dome at Grand Central Hall in Liverpool, the seasoned operator showcased his coaching prowess in Richie Smullen’s collision with Marcos Junior.
With a sense of dread in the air, the SBG fighter lost the opening round, leaving his beloved fans in a state of disarray. However, they need not have worried, as a calm and composed Lobov delivered the advice that spun the fight on its head.
In the second segment, Smullen rose like a phoenix from the ashes to put on a spectacular showing to secure a second-round KO to prove, like many Cage Legacy fighters before him, that he’s destined for big things. And his coach couldn’t have been happier.
Lobov beamed: “It was a brilliant performance; everything went according to the game plan. He faced a tricky opponent, very explosive and strong. But Richie’s a very experienced fighter. We’re aiming for the UFC. To prove you’re UFC level, you need to be putting guys like this away, and that’s exactly what Richie did. He’s on course for the UFC, and he’s going to be there sooner rather than later.”
Cage Legacy returns on July 27 at The Red Cow in Dublin.
Featured Image Credit: Getty