UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley claims he has had preliminary discussions with UFC leaders about a future boxing match with Ryan Garcia, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Garcia has been in the spotlight in the martial arts world in recent days after a shocking majority decision victory in a shaky and alarming boxing match against Devin Haney on Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. .
Garcia’s performance, scoring three knockdowns against Haney, transformed him from a seemingly toxic force to a desirable opponent for many. That includes O’Malley, who has his heart set on a future fight with Garcia and believes the pursuit has become more realistic.
“A boxing match is certainly possible,” O’Malley said on Monday’s episode of the “TimboSugarShow” podcast. “I’m not there yet. I still have to get bigger. Two more fucking awful performances and we’re talking about whether or not I can do it.”
Mayweather vs. McGregor again?
Conor McGregor broke through barriers in August 2017, arranging a crossover fight with Floyd Mayweather as UFC two-division champion. Although the UFC was active in promoting the fight and took a cut of McGregor’s earnings, this was a career- and life-changing opportunity for “The Notorious” and opened the door for many athletes to call up crossover fights. .
Since then, the UFC has not mandated active participation in fights like Mayweather vs. McGregor, and UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly stated that he wants his fighters to remain in their respective competitions. . But O’Malley said his conversations with the UFC’s power players have led him to believe that a fight with Garcia is no pipe dream, so there may be some wiggle room.
“They said to me, ‘If I can make enough money, I’m 100 percent open to doing boxing matches,'” O’Malley revealed. “You have that option. You just have to make enough money. But Ryan is such a weirdo that you need a double A-side to make a Floyd vs. Conor fight.”
Dvalishvili showdown delayed
But for now, O’Malley is focused on what’s next in his career, which is defending his title against Merab Dvalishvili. He wants to book a fight as soon as possible, but he said the timing of the UFC’s schedule is working against him.
“We’re trying to get reservations as quickly as possible,” O’Malley said. “The only problem is that some of the next pay-per-views aren’t domestic, but I’m not going to fight overseas. They have someone else willing to take the job elsewhere. But I’m not ready to go. I’m ready. I’d like to make a reservation for the match as soon as possible.
“I just want to hit him with that knee and flatten him.”
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