Islam Makhachev’s coach ranks Ian Machado Garry second in toughest tests for him at welterweight

Javier Mendez still believes that Shavkat Rakhmonov might be the biggest threat.

Islam Makhachev defeated Ian Machado Garry last month to successfully defend the welterweight title for the first time.

Despite the welterweight champion getting his hand raised, this fight raised some questions regarding how he will fare against the other contenders in the division.

While Mendez says Machado Garry was Makhachev’s toughest opponent to date, he still believes there is an even more challenging test out there at 170 pounds.

Javier Mendez spoke highly of Ian Machado Garry despite some of the criticism that the title challenger received last month.

The veteran coach knew that this would be a difficult fight for Islam Makhachev, and credits their opponent with delivering exactly that.

For many, the next big question is how the welterweight champion will overcome some of the physically bigger and more dangerous challengers that could be next for him.

While he might not be at the front of the line right now, Mendez still thinks that Shavkat Rakhmonov may be the toughest matchup out there at 170 pounds.

“My opinion, he [Machado Garry] is probably the second toughest guy that we’ve yet to face in the welterweight division,” he said on Weighing In. “I think Shavkat might be above him but let’s see what the new Shavkat comes through and remember, Shavkat had a hell of a time with him.”

There have been doubts around whether Rakhmonov will even fight again due to him being inactive for nearly two years due to injuries.

Having coached some of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport, Javier Mendez is no stranger to coming up against elite opposition.

Prior to last month, Ian Machado Garry’s only loss was to Shavkat Rakhmonov in a competitive bout over five rounds.

While Mendez has been very impressed with the Irishman, he’s not confident enough to say that the challenger will reach the top of the mountain further down the line.

“Whether he wins the title, I don’t know,” he said. “I just know that he’s that good.”