Alan Belcher is ready to continue his fighting journey at BKFC 36.
Belcher was once fighting in the UFC middleweight division, where he had several wars, including a must-see bout against Yoshihiro Akiyama. After retiring due to a severe eye injury in 2014, ‘The Talent’ returned in August 2021 with plenty of gas left in the tank. Since then, the Arkansas native has gone 3-0 in BKFC and 4-0 in professional boxing, leading to a bare-knuckle heavyweight championship fight on February 24.
The 38-year-old heavyweight is focused on building his legacy instead of financial gains. During an interview with MiddleEasy, Belcher was asked how the BKFC heavyweight championship would affect his legacy. He had this to say:
“It’s just a personal challenge for me. When I was in the UFC, I was chasing that title and I had to step away from the game because of injuries and going on my own personal journey, my own personal search for myself. Once I decided to get back into fighting, the path led me to BKFC. Two years ago, I decided I would work my way up and win the heavyweight title and here we are.”
Belcher will be headlining BKFC 36 against reigning heavyweight champion Arnold Adams. ‘The Talent’ has dominated every opponent in his path, but Adams is his toughest bare-knuckle test to date. The BKFC heavyweight king won his title in November 2021 against Joey Beltran and then defended his throne against Dillon Cleckler. He is now looking to take out the always dangerous Belcher.
Alan Belcher plans to continue professional boxing with an MMA return as a possibility
When Alan Belcher isn’t competing in bare-knuckle boxing, he’s been staying active in professional boxing. The 38-year-old has boxed four times since returning to competition, and he’s won every time, all by knockout. During the same interview with MiddleEasy, Belcher had this to say about what’s next after BKFC 36:
“I’ll still be doing professional boxing, for sure. One thing that I’m sure about right now is I wanna win this title, defend it against some very big names, big paydays coming down in 2023 into 2024. At the same time, build up my boxing record and see what I can do in pro boxing.”
Belcher was later asked about potentially returning to MMA. He responded by saying:
“In the back of my mind, I do see there is a potential for some type of MMA fight or a crossover fight or something, so I gotta stay ready there. It’s all about the publicity and the exposure, how much of an impact it can have, what kind of payday it can be.”
Belcher has potential for some big-time opportunities in his rejuvenated fighting career. ‘The Talent’ continues to win in professional and bare-knuckle boxing, making him a valuable commodity at heavyweight. If the former UFC middleweight emerges victorious at BKFC 36, he could be looking at a big payday next time out.
