Mixed martial artist Ilia Topuria is the latest combat athlete to express interest in potentially making the transition to the ring for a boxing match. Better known by his nickname “El Matador”, Topuria is not only contemplating a shift to a different combative sport, but is also targeting the highest echelons of professional boxing.
Topuria, currently undefeated, is set to face Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the main event at UFC 298 on February 17. The Spaniard is ambitiously planning to maintain his perfect record and potentially defend his title against former featherweight champion Max Holloway in a match on home soil. On the OverDogs Podcast, Topuria expressed his intentions, saying, “So, that’s what I think is going to happen; I’m going to beat ‘Volk’ on Feb. 17, and then I’m going to fight Max Holloway here in Spain. That’s my goal right now, and I think it’s going to happen.”
The featherweight fighter’s ambition doesn’t end there; his aspirations include a future bout with Canelo Alvarez. Topuria rationalizes that once he garners the credibility that comes with the UFC title, he will have a strong case to fight the four-division world champion. “I would love to fight one day with Canelo,” he stated. “I have so, so much respect for him. But I wanna fight with him one day. Once I win the belt and become a UFC world champion, I wanna go for him. Because I really think I have a chance with him. I believe I have the possibility to beat him.”
As far as Topuria’s recent matches are concerned, his most recent win was a hard-fought unanimous decision victory against Josh Emmett at UFC on ABC 5 in June, marking only the second time Topuria went the distance in his career. Volkanovski, on the other hand, is recovering from a first-round head-kick knockout loss against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last month, representing a second unsuccessful attempt at double-champ status.