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Former UFC Champ Junior Dos Santos Making The Move To Boxing: "I Want To Fight The Big Champions And Beat Them Up"

Boxing MMA UFC Deontay Wilder
Evan Wheeler Nov 3, 2021 12:45PM

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos is making the move from MMA to boxing.

The news was revealed via social media with the boxing management company SJAM Boxing announced they had signed a deal with Dos Santos. The Brazilian heavyweight mixed martial arts legend told Sky Sports' James Dielhenn about his love for the sweet science and his intentions on fighting the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder sometime in the not so distant future.

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"There is something different about boxing which is just beautiful. It is a different art. When you do it well? Beautiful." Dos Santos said. "I have always loved boxing. I have trained with the highest-level guys in Brazil like Robson Conceicao. It was always a big dream for myself to do it. But I was having a successful career. Now is the right time. I'm a free agent. I want to fight the big champions and beat them up. I want to build my way towards the championship. I want to fight the big guys - Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury. I want to do big fights. If, on my way, I have to do entertaining fights against Mike Tyson, for example? I will do that too. It would be great. It would be a unique opportunity and I wouldn't miss it. I want to fight the best guys. Whatever I have to do to get there, I will do it."

Dos Santos is currently 21-9 overall as a pro in MMA and is on a four-fight losing streak. He lost via a second-round TKO to current interim UFC heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane, in his last Octagon appearance at UFC 256 in December 2020, and was subsequently released by the promotion.

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