Ilia
Topuria would like to make his boxing debut against someone
like Shakur Stevenson.
While Topuria (17-0) acknowledges Stevenson as a good boxer, he
believes the four-division world champion has an issue with him.
Topuria believes he can hold his own against the best boxers in the
world today. While it is not a dream for Topuria, the UFC
lightweight champion would like to compete in boxing someday.
Topuria would especially like to transition to boxing to fight
someone like Stevenson, who, he says, runs his mouth too much.
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“[Shakur Stevenson] is a good fighter,” Topuria said on DeepCuts with VicBlends. “The only bad thing
about him, he talks too much. He has some hate towards me…
Honestly, I really feel that I can go to boxing and really face the
best fighters in the world currently. It’s not like a dream, but if
it happens I will be happy. And specifically, if it’s against
someone like Shakur Stevenson, who talks too much.”
MMA vs. Boxing Revisited
MMA vs. boxing is an age-old debate with no conclusion. While
boxers rarely transition to MMA, MMA fighters often try their hand
at pugilism after hanging up their MMA gloves. Conor
McGregor is the only UFC fighter who was still at his prime
when he lost a boxing match against Floyd
Mayweather in 2018.
Stevenson’s feud with Topuria also started with the MMA vs. boxing
debate. Stevenson was streaming with Adin Ross when the influencer
declared MMA better than boxing. Stevenson refused to agree with
Ross, who then brought up Ilia
Topuria. When Ross lauded Topuria’s elite boxing skills,
Stevenson called out the UFC champion to fight him in
boxing.