Ilia Topuria has already established himself as one of the biggest names in the UFC, but now the lightweight champion is once again discussing a potential move into boxing. The 29-year-old recently expressed his desire to face undefeated boxing star Shakur Stevenson in the future, citing that the champion “talks too much.” Topuria made these remarks during an interview with Vic Blends while talking about fighters he enjoys watching and his interest in testing himself in boxing one day.
Rising Popularity and Upcoming Fights
The comments come at a time when Topuria’s popularity is soaring. He is set to headline the upcoming UFC White House event on June 14 and is preparing for a lightweight title unification fight against Justin Gaethje. Although many fans had hoped to see him fight Islam Makhachev or Arman Tsarukyan instead, Topuria’s attention has shifted toward boxing conversations following several public exchanges with well-known fighters from the sport.
Ilia Topuria Says Shakur Stevenson “Talks Too Much”
During the interview with Vic Blends, Ilia Topuria spoke candidly about the boxers he respects most. He mentioned legends like Julio César Chávez, Canelo Álvarez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Mike Tyson, and Oleksandr Usyk before turning his attention toward Stevenson. Topuria said, “Shakur Stevenson is a good fighter. The only bad thing about him is he talks too much. He has some hate towards me. Honestly, I really feel like I can go to boxing and really face the best fighters in the world.” He continued, “It’s not a dream but if it happens I will be happy, and specifically if it’s against someone like Shakur Stevenson who talks too much, it will be great.”
Growing Rivalry and Online Exchanges
The rivalry between the two has quietly escalated over the past few months. Earlier this year, Stevenson spoke during a livestream with Adin Ross and invited Topuria to fight him in boxing. That moment came shortly after Topuria exchanged words online with Stevenson’s mentor, Terence Crawford. Topuria also recently engaged in an online back-and-forth with Ryan Garcia, who advised the UFC champion to stay focused on MMA instead of boxing. Despite this, Topuria has continued to express confidence in his striking ability and believes he could compete against elite boxers, even though MMA fighters have historically struggled in boxing matches.
Stevenson's Undefeated Record
Shakur Stevenson remains unbeaten with a 25-0 record. He last fought in January, defeating Teofimo Lopez to retain his Ring Magazine and WBO super lightweight titles. Stay updated with IPL Live Score and the latest IPL news on Times of India. Follow the IPL schedule and track the race for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
