Spanish soccer star Ferran Torres recently divulged information about a life-altering encounter he had with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight contender Ilia Topuria. This significant interaction took place when Torres had the opportunity to meet his fellow countryman during a visit to the United States — a meeting that seemed to alter his outlook considerably.
The FC Barcelona standout, Torres, inquired about Topuria’s anticipation for his upcoming match during their meeting. With full confidence, Topuria expressed that he did not expect the fight to extend beyond the initial stage. This answer profoundly impacted Torres, who confessed that he aspired to embody that same sense of invincibility in his soccer career.
The conversation was delved into further during his appearance on “The Wild Project” podcast. Here, Torres explained his transformed perspective. “I arrived as Ferran and I returned as another…I met Ilia Topuria and saw his circle of trust and how they always made him believe he was the best, unconditional support”, Torres elaborated. “I asked him how he looked ahead of the fight and he said, ‘He’s not going to make it past the first round.’ I want to be like that.”
Topuria, who is undefeated in 14 professional bouts, has made it to the end only twice in his entire professional career. The 26-year-old is scheduled to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 298. This eagerly anticipated contest is set to take place on February 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.