The world of fight sports has always been thrilled by encounters between boxing and MMA competitors, demonstrated by the unforgettable event where Conor McGregor took on Floyd Mayweather, generating millions of dollars. In the near future, another epic face off could follow. Heavyweight champion from the world of boxing, Oleksandr Usyk, has indicated a possible meeting with UFC’s top fighter, Alex Pereira, which has left enthusiasts buzzing.
In May 2024, the Ukrainian boxer, Oleksandr Usyk, carved out a singular place for himself in sports history. He emerged as the only undisputed heavyweight champion the world had witnessed in over twenty years, following his victory against Tyson Fury. It seems that presently, towards the end of his career with just two more fights to anticipate, Usyk is flirting with the idea of participating in a crossover event against UFC light heavyweight defender, Alex Pereira.
Usyk expressed his intentions in a conversation with TNT Sports. Here, he mentioned that his priority was to confront either Daniel Dubois or Joseph Parker, depending on who secures victory in the forthcoming February 22nd clash. However, he was open to considering the idea of a ‘show fight’ with Pereira as a potential subsequent move, daying ‘whatever the result on 22nd February, maybe next we can have a spectacle with Alex Pereira. Why not? Alex seems eager as well.’
On the other side of this proposed sporting encounter, Alex Pereira is ready to put his light heavyweight defeater title on the line in UFC 313 against Magomed Ankalaev. However, ‘Poatan’, as he is fondly known, hasn’t displayed much enthusiasm for swapping his octagon surroundings for a boxing ring in the recent past. The possibility of a grand conflict between him and the boxing champion from Ukraine won’t materialize until strong affirmation is acquired.
Adding another layer of drama to the mix, Jiri Prochazka has made alarming allegations against Pereira. Prochazka’s spectacular knockout of Jamahal Hill got him into the title contest, against either Pereira or Ankalaev, as the case may be. However, the series of events didn’t follow a smooth trajectory as Prochazka raised the accusation that Pereira resorted to black magic in their previous fight.
Pereira responded to these startling accusations by firmly denying them. He expressed his strong faith and advised Prochazka to concentrate on boxing techniques instead of delving into superstitions. He further emphasized this when Prochazka reiterated his black magic theory during his appearance on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ show.
In his response to Prochazka’s persistence, Pereira said, ‘I respect him, but I’m a man who fears god. God dwells in my heart. If he can put these notions aside and simply focus on the sport, our fight would turn out to be a much improved and impressive show for the audience.’ With this sentiment, Pereira underlined his rejection of any involvement in black magic.
For now, Pereira’s entire focus is on the impending UFC 311. The audience anticipates another electrifying performance by the champion in the ring.