Power plays a massive role in determining the outcome of a bout, especially in the bigger weight classes. According to heavyweight boxing contender Zhilei Zhang, Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has punching power in spades which should make a move to heavyweight possible.
Zhang, fresh off his knockout victory over former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, didn’t shy away from praising ‘Poatan’ and his striking prowess.
The Chinese boxer shared the ring with Pereira for a four-round sparring session last year. Talking to Ariel Helwani on “The MMA Hour,” he went on to list Pereira’s impressive qualities, including his reflexes, speed, and power. Zhang remained confident in Pereira’s power transitioning to heavyweight.
“He’s [Alex Pereira] a good boxer. I can tell you he has good reflections, he has good speed and good power. I watch him fight a lot, in UFC, he kind of dominates everybody standing, and striking… I think he has it. I think he has the power to translate to heavyweight.”
Zhilei Zhang via The MMA Hour
That’s high praise coming from a man who just knocked out Deontay Wilder. Pereira’s recent performance at UFC 303 only reinforced Zhang’s opinion. The Brazilian knocked out Jiri Prochazka with a thunderous high kick in the second round after dropping him in the final seconds of the first round.
Pereira’s potential move to heavyweight isn’t just idle chatter. The Brazilian has expressed interest in chasing gold across three weight classes. Moreover, Dana White recently hinted at the possibility of letting Pereira fight at heavyweight.
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Anthony Joshua urges Alex Pereira to try his hand at Boxing
The worlds of MMA and boxing recently collided on social media. Heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua extended a surprising invitation to Alex Pereira. Joshua took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to praise Pereira’s striking skills. He suggested the Brazilian should try his hand at boxing someday.
Pereira’s knockout power has become the stuff of legend in MMA circles. Fresh off his UFC 303 win ‘Poatan’ responded with genuine interest and humility. He lobbed the ball back into Anthony Joshua’s court, asking for opponent recommendations should he decide to compete in a boxing bout.
Anthony Joshua believes that Pereira’s skill in MMA could translate well in the boxing ring. Interestingly, Pereira has already competed in one professional boxing bout in June of 2017, which he won by TKO. Whether the two-division champion will give professional boxing another go remains to be seen.
