For instance, he once had a match with Soviet wrestler Aleksandr Medved, who had an injured right knee. When Takhti found out that Medved was injured, he avoided touching the injured leg and tried to attack the other leg instead. He lost the match but showed that he valued honourable behaviour more than reaching victory.
Another example of his character comes from a match in Moscow. After defeating the then-world champion Anatoly Albul, Takhti saw the sorrow on the face of Albul’s mother. Takhti went to her and said, “I’m sorry about the result, but your son is a great wrestler.” She smiled and kissed him.
Takhti was known for his anti-regime views. He was a pro-Mossadegh activist and member of the Second National Front, and his death sparked a number of anti-Shah demonstrations.
