It didn’t take long for Artem Lobov to tip-toe his way back into the fight game, after recently announcing his retirement as a professional fighter. Lobov will compete against Paddy Holohan in a wheelchair boxing match for charity later this year.
Lobov signed up for the bout with Holohan over the weekend just weeks after his old teammate, UFC star Conor McGregor, expressed his desires to compete in a charity wheelchair boxing match in the near future. Comedian Steveo Timothy was the first to announce the news.
“What a day, what an experience!” Timothy tweeted. “The absolute gentleman [Artem Lobov] invited me up for a bit of training ahead of my fight with [Irish Olympian Paddy Barnes] and it was immense. And not only that, but he will now take part in the charity wheelchair fight against none other than [Paddy Holohan].”
After a brief run-in bare-knuckle boxing, Lobov opted to retire after a long career in combat sports. Despite a losing record of 13-15, Lobov was a massive fan favorite and also trained at SBG Ireland with McGregor, Charlie Ward, and others.
Lobov will fight against Holohan, who retired from fighting himself in 2016. Holohan now works in politics in Dublin, Ireland, and even ran for the mayor of Dublin last year, falling short in the elections. Holohan briefly fought in the UFC and accumulated a 12-2 record, getting submitted in his final outing against Louis Smolka in Oct. 2015.
While Lobov and Holohan won’t be returning to professional fighting anytime soon, it’s great to see them representing the sport and competing for a good cause. The event will most definitely help those in need in Ireland that don’t have the resources to get a wheelchair themselves. Lobov will more than likely compete in multiple events going forward.
What are your thoughts on the Artem Lobov vs. Paddy Holohan wheelchair boxing match for charity?