Larry Wheels Suffers Apparent Biceps Tear During Boxing Match With Vitaly, Upcoming RAF Debut Now in Doubt
Larry Wheels’ latest venture into combat sports came to a painful and premature end Saturday night. The powerlifter, bodybuilder, and fitness star suffered an apparent right biceps injury during his boxing match against YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy at Adin Ross’ Brand Risk 15 on Aug. 22 in Miami, Florida.
Wheels had gotten the better of the action before the injury, even scoring a knockdown against Vitaly. However, moments later he grabbed at his right arm and was unable to continue.
The bout was ultimately declared a no contest.
Larry Wheels Suffers Apparent Biceps Tear Against Vitaly
Wheels came out aggressively and immediately attempted to use his considerable strength and power advantage.
He pressured Vitaly backward and landed several hard shots before sending him to the canvas.
The injury appeared to occur around the sequence that followed the knockdown. Video from the fight showed an obvious deformity in Wheels’ right biceps area, raising immediate concerns that he had suffered a significant tear.
While multiple reports have described the injury as a torn biceps, Wheels and his team have not yet publicly confirmed an official diagnosis or revealed how long he could be sidelined.
That distinction could prove important considering what Wheels already has scheduled over the next several weeks.
Wheels’ Real American Freestyle Debut Is Less Than One Month Away
Wheels has increasingly branched outside of traditional strength sports, and boxing was only one part of his expanding combat sports schedule.
He is currently scheduled to make his Real American Freestyle wrestling debut against Mike “The Real Tarzann” Holston at RAF 13 on Sept. 19 in Miami.
The match remains listed on Real American Freestyle’s official schedule, but Saturday’s injury immediately puts Wheels’ participation in serious doubt.
The bout is less than four weeks away.
Wheels vs. Holston had already been rescheduled once before landing on the RAF 13 card. It is set to take place on the same event headlined by Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad.
No announcement has been made by Wheels or RAF regarding a withdrawal or another postponement. Until the exact nature of the injury is determined, however, his ability to wrestle on Sept. 19 remains an obvious question.
Wheels Continues To Test Himself Outside Strength Sports
Wheels, whose real name is Larry Williams, originally built his massive following through powerlifting and displays of extraordinary strength.
He later pursued bodybuilding more seriously and earned his IFBB Pro card at the 2025 Musclecontest Ireland before competing in the professional ranks.
In recent years, Wheels has also explored arm wrestling and combat sports, making his matchup with Vitaly another example of his willingness to test his strength and athleticism outside of the gym.
Saturday appeared to be going well for Wheels before the injury. Rather than simply surviving his latest crossover challenge, he had Vitaly in trouble and scored the fight’s biggest moment with the knockdown.
Instead, the night ended with no winner and potentially much larger consequences for Wheels’ immediate competitive plans.
For now, the severity of the injury and any recovery timetable remain unknown. With his RAF debut scheduled for Sept. 19, an official update from Wheels will likely determine whether his next crossover into combat sports can proceed as planned.
Image embed via YouTube @larrywheels
