Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has given a positive response when asked about a potential bout with boxing's pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.
The Brazilian MMA icon is scheduled to headline UFC 313, set to take place in the T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 8, 2025. In the main event, he will make the fourth defense of his title against Magomed Ankalaev, widely considered the biggest threat to his championship in the division.
Because of his striking-heavy fighting style and explosive knockout power, fans have often discussed how "Poatan" would perform in a boxing ring. Since "The Cat" expressed the desire to end his career with a boxing superfight against Pereira, fans have been very eager to learn if boxing promoters and Dana White are interested in cross-promoting such a battle too.
When asked about a boxing fight with Usyk with Mark Bouris, Pereira said:
I had already said that before, right? That I would really like to have a boxing match and they asked me who it would be, I said,well I am champion right so it would have to be a champion and he is the champion. And now, he gave an interview and said my name so it is something that I want. He also wants and the two organizations, right, they are working kind of together so I think now it will I believe that this fight can happen.
Do note that the statement above is based on Google's translation of Pereira's statements. The translator in the live interview was unfortunately called out for missing out on a lot of things so we relied on directly translating the UFC champ's answer via Google Translator.
As it turns out, the bits about the two organzations (likely UFC and some boxing promotion) working together weren't revealed in the live interview but Pereira hinting towards it certainly makes it seem like this matchup is not a far-fetched dream now.
Usyk's wins over Tyson Fury have undoubtedly cemented him as an all-time great boxer. He's formerly united all belts at cruiserweight, and is now eyeing to become a three-time undisputed champion. For his next boxing bout, he'll face the winner of an upcoming fight between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker scheduled for February 22, 2025.
"Poatan", on the other hand, is often seen sparring with professional heavyweight boxers and on many occasions, he's mentioned about his will to compete in a boxing ring in the future.
Having said that, Pereira needs to handle business in the Octagon first and his performance against Ankalaev will naturally have a huge impact on his brand. A victory at UFC 313 could help him make big moves such as facing the UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones or move over to boxing as discussed above.