Undefeated in 17 professional fights, UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is following a path reminiscent of Conor McGregor, becoming a new UFC icon.
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Ilia Topuria celebrates his victory over Charles Oliveira for the lightweight championship at UFC 317 in the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA on 28/6. Photo: AS |
Ilia Topuria celebrates his victory over Charles Oliveira for the lightweight championship at UFC 317 in the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA on 28/6. Photo: AS
In early September, Topuria made headlines by declaring he could knock out Crawford in both mixed martial arts and boxing. "I'll put him to sleep with the first punch," the Georgian fighter boasted. He had previously posted a picture with Crawford, asking, "Who would win if we fought?".
Crawford, however, appeared unconcerned. On The Ariel Helwani Show, the American boxer stated, "I don't care about that guy. I've never actually seen him fight. I don't even know who he is." Crawford recalled briefly meeting Topuria in person and exchanging a few words before seeing the public challenge online.
"He's clearly looking for attention," Crawford continued. "Topuria would be willing to step into the ring with me for the right price. But I don't understand what he thinks he's doing. And please, don't ever compare him to Conor McGregor. They're not on the same level. I watch a lot of MMA, I've seen McGregor fight many times, but I've never seen this guy in a single match."
Crawford acknowledged that in combat sports, money is a significant motivator, but he has no intention of pursuing this fight. "Tell him to keep doing well in his career. I wish him the best of luck," the American boxer concluded.
In response, Topuria posted on X that he would represent the entire MMA community and soon rearrange Crawford's face.
At the recent WOW 22 press conference, the fighter nicknamed "El Matador" continued his challenge. He declared, "There are many boxers who talk about us, criticize us, but how many dare to step into the MMA cage? I'm different. I'm not waiting until the end of my career to try boxing. Whenever Crawford wants to test his skills, I'm ready."
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Terence Crawford (left) lands a punch on Canelo Alvarez during their super middleweight unification bout at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, USA on 13/9/2025. Photo: AP |
Terence Crawford (left) lands a punch on Canelo Alvarez during their super middleweight unification bout at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, USA on 13/9/2025. Photo: AP
The controversy stemmed from Crawford's earlier statement that while Topuria has good skills, Cody Garbrandt is the UFC fighter with the best boxing skills. This sparked Topuria's strong reaction.
The biggest obstacle to a Topuria-Crawford boxing match is UFC approval. The UFC has only once allowed an active fighter to compete in boxing: Conor McGregor's 2017 bout against Floyd Mayweather. This event generated over 600 million USD, making it one of the highest-grossing sporting events in history. It also set a pay-per-view record with over 4.3 million buys in the US, the second largest of all time.
Topuria is currently in negotiations to defend his UFC lightweight title, while Crawford is solidifying his position after his historic victory against Canelo Alvarez.
Compiled by Hong Duy
