Devon Larratt is undoubtedly the most famous arm wrestling athlete and a figure that has helped the sport make significant steps in the right direction. He recently appeared on Brian Shaw’s podcast, where he talked about arm wrestling, his career, and more. A key aspect of Devon’s interview was his discussion of his recent opponent, Levan Saginashvili, as he revealed what it will take to beat him.
Devon Larratt competed twice against Levan Saginashvili, with both matches ending in favor of the Georgian Hulk. The first time, Devon lost without managing to put up a resistance, losing all six rounds of the match. The second time, he managed to defy Levan’s power in the first round, but suffered a similar fate in the remaining ones. Afterwards, Devon graciously admitted defeat, but has now revealed the needed characteristics of anyone who wants to take on Levan next.
Related: Devon Larratt & Levan Saginasvhili Recap Their Performances After a Historic 2024 Armwrestling Match
Devon Larratt’s Opinion on Levan Saginashvili
Firstly, Devon Larratt revealed his opinion on the match that he had against Levan Saginashvili, praising the Georgian arm wrestler and addressing the first round.
Devon’s statement shows that Levan Saginashvili is a very rounded athlete, possessing strength, technique, experience, as well as intelligence.
“It drew a lot of attention, we got a lot of eyeballs on the sport. I wish I could have given him more of a fight. He is an incredible champion. Levan is everything.
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It was interesting, because, you know, the first time I faced him, I got an injury in the second round. I partially tore my bicep… I trained so hard (for the second match) based on the information that I got to try and counter him.
Yeah, I was like ‘Oh My God, It Is Going To Happen’ (in the first round). I have control of his wrist, but there is many pieces to Levan. I had this one spot where I could contest him a little bit, but he very quickly found other answers.
It will be very difficult to defeat Levan. It will take something special.”
Devon Larratt describes his rivalry against Levan Saginashvili as the peak of his career, and he doesn’t hide the fact that he has been training for years with the ultimate goal of beating the Georgian.
In fact, Devon Larratt has neglected all other aspects of his physical training, with the sole aim being the development of his right arm. Unfortunately, even all of that was not enough to beat Levan. However, Devon knows that he has given his all, which helps bring him closure.
“Going up against Levan is such a trip. I call it my ascent to Everest. It is like trying to climb Mount Everest. To me, it is the pinnacle of my arm wrestling career.
At the end of 2018, I had a match against Denis Cyplenkov, left-handed. When that match was done, I stopped training my left hand. So, since November 2018, until Levan 2024 six weeks ago, I only trained my right hand. I didn’t train my body, I didn’t train my left hand.
I only trained my right hand like three or four times a day, for six years.”
As the sport of arm wrestling evolved, the top level athletes started getting bigger and heavier. So, Levan Saginashvili is currently the pinnacle of that, and Devon made note of it.
So, Devon Larratt believes that anyone who wants to have the slightest chance against Levan needs to weigh over 300 pounds. On the other hand, Devon also thinks that the height of the athlete needs to be at least 6-feet 4-inches.
However, he also believes that currently no one is close to Levan, including some well-known athletes like Ermes Gasparini, Vitaly Laletin, Alex Kurdecha, and others.
“Right now, nobody is close (to Levan). The top guys, all of them, are heavy underdogs.
I think, to beat him, that there isn’t much of a chance for anyone under 300 pounds… He is around the high 300 pounds.
It is more about the bone structure, when you see him, he doesn’t look blown up at all. He is supposed to be that big.
So I think it is going to take a guy who has a frame of 6-ft 4-in or 6-ft 5-in with metamorphic tendencies.”
Watch the full podcast here:
Related: Armwrestling Champions: Their Legacies and Signature Techniques
One man that certainly fits Devon Larratt’s criteria for beating Levan is Brian Shaw. In fact, the Canadian arm wrestler traveled all the way to Colorado in order to help Brian with his training. The 4x World’s Strongest Man has always had an immensely strong grip, but has recently started actively training for arm wrestling. So, with some more training, maybe he could be the man to challenge Levan Saginashvilli.
Interestingly, Devon has been hinting that Brian Shaw could be the one to beat Levan, stating that the two are very similar in raw power and that he has all the tools necessary.
“All I will say at this time is Rest In Piece Levan” said Devon Larratt.
On the other hand, Devon Larratt has concluded his career in the super heavyweight division and plans on competing in some of the lighter weight classes. He still remains one of the biggest advocates for the sport, and his name will attract tons of attention in future matches.
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