Israel Adesanya interview resurfaces about crossover fight with Canelo Alvarez
- Planet Sport writer
- 11 May 2021
"People say, 'oh, after UFC, you can go to boxing and have one super fight maybe with Canelo and make a hundred million.'"
Boxing seems to love a crossover fight at the moment.
First there was Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor - a boxing fight which generated an estimated 4.3 million buys and the second most lucrative bout in history.
Since then, the sport has witnessed YouTubers entering the fray in Jake Paul, Logan Paul and KSI.
The circus show continues next month as Logan Paul prepares to take on Mayweather in an exhibition bout in Miami.
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez is boxing's current Pound for Pound best. The Mexican holds three of four super middleweight belts following his brutal win over Billy Joe Saunders.
An interview with Israel Adesanya - UFC's current middleweight kingpin - has recently resurfaced and it mentioned the prospect of facing Alvarez in a boxing ring.
"This [UFC] is where I'm going to end my career," Adesanya said.
"It's silly. Why would I come to the proving ground of all fighting - the UFC - and then afterwards, fight a guy and take away like 80 percent of my weapons."
"I just want to kick people. I want to strangle someone. I can't do that in boxing. I don't want to get into the clinch and then okay, break.
"Same thing with kickboxing, same thing with jiu-jitsu, same thing with judo, same thing with wrestling, they're all limited styles of fighting," Adesanya continued.
"Pound for Pound - everyone throws that greatest fighter, Pound for Pound is Canelo [Alvarez]. He's the Pound for Pound maybe greatest boxer right now. Not fighter.
"You have to test yourself against another style. People say, 'oh, after UFC, you can go to boxing and have one super fight maybe with Canelo and make a hundred million'.
"I'm like, I can do that in the UFC. I might be the first fighter to do that in the UFC."
"The Last Stylebender" returns to the octagon at UFC 263 against Marvin Vettori of Italy after negotiations over a rematch with Robert Whittaker broke down.
He will be back in action for the first time since his light heavyweight title defeat to Jan Blachowicz.
