Ilia Topuria may not have long left in MMA.
Earlier this year, Topuria won the vacant lightweight title, becoming just the 10th fighter to win titles in multiple UFC weight classes. He was expected to defend his title early next year; however, personal issues have led Topuria to take some time off from the cage. And whenever he does return, there’s no telling how many fights Topuria has left in MMA, as “El Matador” recently revealed that he doesn’t foresee a long future in the sport.
“It’s no secret that I’ve always wanted to try my hand at boxing,” Topuria told Marca. “But I think something I’ve always applied to my life is that if you try to catch two rabbits, you end up catching neither. So, I want to finish my story in mixed martial arts, in MMA, first, and once I’m done, then make my complete transition to boxing. I can’t be preparing for an MMA fight, then leave, prepare for a boxing match, come back… I don’t think that would be very professional, would it?
“Because boxing requires a completely different approach, very, very, very different training that I have to adapt to. Obviously, the timing is different, and well, it’s not even an octagon; it’s a ring, and I would have to adapt to that, which takes time, like everything in life. So, right now, in mixed martial arts, when I finish—which I don’t think will be too long, to be honest—I’ll make my transition to boxing, and I’m going to surprise more than a few people.”
Topuria was not specific as to what those goals are, or how long “too long” might mean, but he did allow that his future in MMA is up in the air based on several possibilities.
“In active sports, I still have… now, what I have left in mixed martial arts, well, I don’t know, to be honest, it’s like… it depends,” Topuria said. “It depends on many things; it depends on how circumstances develop. But well, we’ll try to stay active as long as possible.”
And one of those possibilities that Topuria appears most interested in is the opportunity to challenge for a third title. Topuria has already begun lobbying for a shot at welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, and he says the “triple crown” is absolutely something he hopes to pull off before he walks away.
“I don’t know, nobody knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, I don’t know,” Topuria said. “That’s what’s fun, what’s complicated, and that’s where the struggle lies, isn’t it? What’s going to be next? And when you sometimes want to delve too deeply into that journey, that’s when the uncertainties, the doubts, the fears appear… so I’ve learned to focus on what I have in the near future. Obviously, I also have long-term plans, but right now, what I can do is focus on that triple crown, do my best, and then we’ll see what the future holds for us.”
