Outside Source
Ilia Topuria might not be long for the UFC. | Getty/UFC
Ilia Topuria doesn’t plan on having a lengthy MMA career.
While Topuria (17-0) rapidly shot to stardom, he has always been economical with his career, never fighting more than twice a year. “El Matador” won the UFC lightweight title this past June and will be on a hiatus till the summer of 2026 due to personal reasons. Amit speculations of early retirement, Topuria recently revealed that he might not stay very long in MMA.
Topuria has never made a secret of his plans to transition to boxing after he hangs up his MMA gloves. However, “El Matador” doesn’t want to sail in two boats simultaneously. The undefeated Georgian-Spaniard wants to finish his MMA career before completely transitioning to boxing, which he knows will take time and adaptation.
Proper Focus is Essential
“It’s no secret that I always wanted to go and test my skills in boxing, but I think something I’ve always applied to my life is that he who wants to hunt two rabbits in the end does not hunt either,” Topuria told Marca. “… So I want to first finish my story in mixed martial arts, in MMA, and once I finish to make my complete transition to boxing — because I can not be preparing for an MMA fight, then go, prepare for a boxing match, return… I think it would not be very professional, right? Because boxing needs a completely different approach, a very, very, very different training to which I have to adapt.
“Obviously they are different times and come on, it’s not an Octagon, it’s a ring, and I would have to adapt to it, which takes time, like everything in life. So now, at this moment, in mixed martial arts, when I’m done, I don’t think I’m going to be too long, if I’m honest, in this sport… I’ll make my transition to boxing and I’m going to surprise more than one.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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