Vadim Nemkov disclosed that kidney problems severely impacted his performance in his first fight against Corey Anderson in 2022. He experienced dramatic cardio decline after the first round in both sparring and competition, describing it as running out of fuel. After extensive medical testing, doctors identified kidney issues related to extreme weight cuts as the root cause. Nemkov found an appropriate legal medication that resolved the problem and has since eliminated all sports supplements from his regimen. He confirmed the kidney issues were the direct reason for his poor stamina in the Anderson bout.
Vadim Nemkov has opened up about a significant health issue that undermined his cardio during his 2022 loss to Corey Anderson, revealing that undiagnosed kidney problems were responsible for the dramatic stamina drop he experienced that night.
Nemkov, now 32, holds a 19-2 record and competes in the light heavyweight division. The Russian fighter stands six feet tall with a 76-inch reach and carries a striking accuracy of 50 percent. Despite his credentials as one of the elite light heavyweights in the world, he described a puzzling and severe decline in conditioning after the first round — both in sparring sessions and in competition itself — that he likened to completely running out of fuel.
After undergoing extensive medical testing, doctors traced the problem to kidney issues connected to extreme weight cuts. Nemkov said he found an appropriate legal medication that resolved the condition and has since removed all sports supplements from his training regimen entirely.
His opponent in that bout, Corey Anderson, is a 36-year-old American fighter out of The Kennel Fight Club who carries a 14-5 record. Anderson stands six-foot-three, 191 cm, with an exceptional 79-inch reach spanning 201 cm. He is a physically imposing presence who averages 4.43 significant strikes per minute at 46 percent accuracy and compounds that with a strong wrestling game, averaging 4.89 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Nemkov's explanation reframes the 2022 Anderson loss as a performance heavily affected by an underlying medical condition rather than a straightforward competitive defeat.
- The kidney issue stemming from extreme weight cuts raises broader questions about weight management practices at the elite level.
- With the problem now resolved, Nemkov's camp will point to this disclosure as evidence that the version of him Anderson defeated was operating far below full capacity.
- Any potential rematch between the two would carry significant divisional weight given both fighters' standing in light heavyweight competition.
