UFC legend Vitor Belfort believes the future of combat sports lies in merging both boxing and mixed martial arts.
Last month, both worlds collided when former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou made his professional boxing debut against reigning WBC titleholder Tyson Fury. ‘The Predator’ walked into the bout as a +750 underdog with many expecting ‘The Gypsy King’ to dog-walk him in the 10-round affair. What happened sent the combat sports community into an absolute frenzy.
Throughout the 30-minute scrap, Francis Ngannou held his own, busting open Fury and even knocking him down in the third round with a big counter-left.
Since then, fight fans have been clamoring for more crossover bouts, including a fight pitting heavyweight knockout artist and three-time Tyson Fury foe Deontay Wilder against Ngannou.
Appearing on the JAXXON podcast alongside fellow Octagon icon Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Vitor Belfort suggested that the future of both sports is the creation of a new ruleset. An amalgamation of both boxing and MMA that can appeal to a broader audience.
“I would love to create rules where you can box and do dirty boxing and I think that would be amazing if we combine these two sports together. Boxing with grabbing,” Belfort said.
He continued, “If you put those rules [together] and start making fights, what’s the future of breaking pay-per-view records? No one wants to see an MMA fighter boxing a boxer in the boxing ring. We always know the result. It’s going to be for the boxer. Ngannou landed, yes, but the probability is he’s not going to win. But if you put in the other rules, I 100 percent… I bet my house. I put everything on [Ngannou].”
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Discussing the possibility of putting together a card that pits boxers and mixed martial artists under these hybrid rules, Belfort suggested it as the perfect opportunity to see Ngannou and Fury run it back on a level playing field.
“This is the future because I want to see Tyson Fury and Ngannou under these rules,” Belfort added. “Not in boxing. In combat. So what is the future of combat sports? Boxing and MMA with the same rules in the ring.”
Vitor Belfort Wants to Mix It Up with Roy Jones Jr.
With 40 career fights to his credit, Vitor Belfort is done competing in mixed martial arts, but that isn’t stopping the 46-year-old from dipping his toe into the world of boxing. Competing inside the squared circle on two separate occasions, Belfort has earned victories over legendary pugilist Evander Holyfield and former UFC standout Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza.
Next, Belfort would like an opportunity to take on another icon of the sweet science, Roy Jones Jr.
“I would like to add another fight on the card,” Belfort excitedly said. “Me and Roy Jones Jr. We’ve never fought and I think Roy is a legend and I would like to see… It’s just entertaining. I think it would be most entertaining because who’s the better striker.”
During the podcast, they managed to get Jones Jr. on the phone to ask about a potential fight with Belfort.
“Vitor’s a great friend of mine. A great boxer and a legend in MMA and anytime the money’s right to share the ring, ya’ll know me,” Jones Jr. said on the Facetime call.
Watch the full podcast below:
