Khudayarov is edging closer to his goal of a 1,200-kilogram total.

Last updated on April 4th, 2024

There can no longer be any doubt that Zahir Khudayarov IS BACK. The high-energy powerlifter has been absent from competition for several years but still holds the all-time world record in the 125KG class in squat and total. It seems those records are in peril as Khudayarov winds up for his return to the competitive platform.

Khudayarov’s bench press, in particular, has been flying. His current competition-best bench press is 275 kilograms, set at the 2016 RPS US Open. Unfortunately, Khudayarov had a nightmare on squat and did not make a total that day. He hasn’t approached those numbers since, hitting between 240 and 260 kilograms at subsequent competitions.

However, that looks set to change in the near future. Khudayarov has been hitting the gym hard in the past few months. On April 1, 2024, he shared a video on his Instagram page wherein he pressed a colossal 287.5 kilograms (633 pounds) raw. Check out the lift below:

Khudayarov took a big huff of ammonia salts before settling back onto the bench. He used wrist wraps and a lifting belt to assist the lift and took the barbell a little more narrowly than the maximum permitted grip width. It looked as though his middle fingers were on the rings.

The descent was solid, and Khudayarov paused on the chest. The bar came off his chest well but slowed dramatically towards the top. The lockout was tough and suggested he was close to his limit, but he made it nonetheless.

Per Open Powerlifting, the heaviest all-time raw bench press in the 125KG class is Ted Arcidi‘s 295-kilogram lift at the 1983 USPF Central Maryland Under Class I. However, the second-heaviest all-time bench press is James Strickland‘s bench press of 287.5 kilograms at the 2018 USPA Gulf Coast Open — the same weight as Khudayarov’s training lift.

It’s not just Khudayarov’s bench press that has been progressing well. He put up some impressive squats lately, like the 475-kilogram double that he did just a week or so before, which can be seen below:

Khudayarov stated that his intention is to hit a 500-kilogram squat, a 300-kilogram bench press, and a 400-kilogram deadlift at the same event for a 1,200-kilogram total. Those are lofty ambitions; only three athletes — Vladislav Alhazov, Dan Bell, and Mojtaba Maleki — have squatted 500 kilograms or more in competition, and they are all super heavyweights.

The biggest total ever hit in raw competition is Bell’s 1,182.5 kilograms. If Khudayarov can achieve his aims in the 125KG class, he will gain the mantle of the strongest powerlifter in the world. There is still some distance to go, but Khudayarov is well on his way.

Featured image: @zahirkhudayarov on Instagram