Khamzat Chimaev’s friend and fellow fighter Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov offered some insight into the illness that forced ‘Borz’ out of his scrap with Robert Whittaker in Saudi Arabia.
On June 22, Chimaev was scheduled for a high-stakes middleweight clash with the former champion, the winner likely setting themselves up for a shot at the 185-pound crown in late 2024/early 2025. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case after Chimaev became “violently ill,” forcing him to bow out of the bout.
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Abdulvakhabov revealed that the illness was food poisoning, though he stressed that he had not spoken to Chimaev directly and was informed by mutual friends of theirs.