Dzhambulat Khatokhov, who was named the world's heaviest child by Guinness Book of Records in 2003, has passed away after suffering from acute kidney problems.
- Dec 30, 2020
AceShowbiz - Russian sumo wrestler Dzhambulat "Dzhambik" Khatokhov has passed away. Dzhambik, who used to be known as the "world's heaviest boy," died recently at 21 years old, according to Betal Gubzhev, the president of Sumo and Mass Wrestling Federation of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Russian region where he lived.
"The record holder of the Guinness Book of Records, the first sumo wrestler of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic Dzhambulat Khatokhov has passed away. My condolences to the relatives and friends," Gubzhev said in a statement. No cause of death was given, but TMZ reports that Dzhambik had been suffering from kidney problems. He reportedly died from chronic kidney complications.
Dzhambik rose to fame after he was named the world's heaviest child in 2003 by Guinness Book of Records. At birth, reports say he only weighed in at around 6 lbs, but by his first birthday, he already clocked in at over 28 pounds and continued growing bigger and heavier. By age 9, he weighed about 320 pounds and was nicknamed Gladiator by his schoolmates.
A British doctor, Ian Campbell, who examined Dzhambik warned in 2009, "Jambik's health is dire. His weight means he has a greatly increased risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease." However, his mother apparently believed he was healthy.
"He is just growing - upwards and outwards. What can I do about it? This is who he is, this is how God created him," his mother Nelya Dzhambulat, who is a nurse, said in 2009. His mother also said doctors throughout Russia had been unable to explain his size medically.
He grew up interested in wrestling and wrestled Georgy Bibilauri, another large teenager in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, in 2003. His first wrestling coach Khasan Teusvazhukov admitted it was hard to train him.
"He usually does running and gymnastics but I do not give him full exercises," he said. He won't be able to do most of these anyway because of his size. We try to be cautious with him. The doctors may say he is fine, but he doesn't look like it and I do not want to cause him any damage."
His life and enormous size became the subject of various documentaries, but he gained world recognition after appearing on the U.K. Channel 4 series "BodyShock" in the episode "World's Biggest Boy" which aired in 2008 on many TV channels around the world.
