Booked for his Octagon return, Alex Pereira has welcomed the chance to take on current professional boxing heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk in the ring — suggesting the duo could lock horns at cruiserweight in a billed super fight.
Pereira, the current undisputed light heavyweight titleholder and a former middleweight kingpin umbrella of the promotion, is slated to make his return in March, headlining UFC 313.
Booked to take on surging number one ranked light heavyweight contender, Magomed Ankalaev, Sao Paulo finisher, Pereira will put his light heavyweight crown on the line for the fourth time since last April — having wrapped up stunning knockout wins over the trio of Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree.
Alex Pereira welcomes title showdown with Oleksandr Usyk in huge boxing move
However, ahead of his return in Las Vegas, Pereira has revealed he has sights set on a potential cruiserweight pairing with Ukrainian star, Usyk — in a bout he billed as a “super fight” between the sport icons.
“I think everything is possible, but it’s something I can’t plan, but it’s something I want to do,” Alex Pereira said of a boxing move through a translator on the JAXXON Podcast. “Champion, right? I’m a champion. I think it’s the same as Oleksandr Usyk. Cruiserweight. He’s the champion, he likes to fight the champs, so Oleksandr Usyk.”
Also heavily linked with a massive heavyweight leap later this summer, Pereira is open to the chance to fighting the victor of an expected showdown between Jon Jones and interim gold holder, Tom Aspinall, however, claims he will make a mockery of Russian nemesis when they fight in March.
“If he (Magomed Ankalaev) doesn’t back up what he says, people have already seen me making fun of my other opponents,” Alex Pereira told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. “Sometimes I joke and stuff, but this is the guy I’m really going to make fun of.”
