A Russian sumo wrestler once dubbed “the strongest boy in the world”, who weighed 110 kilograms when he was just 6 years old, died at 21, according to a report.
Dzhambulat Khatokhov became a heavyweight sensation when he was 3 years old and reached stardom around the world amid concerns about his health, East2West News reported.
Betal Gubzhev, 29, president of the Kabardino-Balkaria Sumo and Mass Wrestling Federation, the region where Khatokhov lived, announced his death.
The cause was not revealed, but he suffered from severe kidney problems.
At age 9, when he was known as Dzhambik and nicknamed Gladiator by his schoolmates, he weighed around 320 pounds – more than the combined total of four fellow students.
His mother, Nelya, countered reports that she was neglecting his health.
“He’s just growing – up and out. What can I do about it? That’s how it is, that’s how God created it, ”she said.
In 2009, a British doctor warned that the boy’s condition was dire.
“His weight means he has a much higher risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease,” said Dr. Ian Campbell. “As a result of being so heavy at such a young age, your life expectancy is likely to be greatly reduced.”
Khatokhov’s first wrestling coach said it was difficult to train him.
“He usually does running and gymnastics, but I don’t give him complete exercises,” said Khasan Teusvazhukov, 48. “He won’t be able to do most of them in any way due to his size.
“We try to be cautious with him. Doctors can say that he is fine, but he doesn’t look and I don’t want to do him any harm, ”he added.
But his mother said that doctors in Moscow found no medical problems that caused his extreme weight.
“We have already gone through several exams. Every doctor wanted to find something to explain why Dzhambik is so big, ”she said at the time.
“None of them found anything. When he was 5 years old, I took him to the clinics in Moscow, where we did all the available tests, CT scans and hormone tests, ”he added.
“But it showed that he is absolutely healthy and that his heart, liver and everything else are proportional to his size. They say he’s healthy, so I don’t care. I believe that he will have a long and happy life ”, said Nelya.
She also vehemently denied that she put him on steroids.
“I can’t say how it happens. He just grew bigger and bigger – up and out. God created it that way, ”she said.