A former fighter highlights similarities between UFC 317 headliner Ilia Topuria and boxing great Canelo Alvarez, particularly in Topuria`s striking technique.
The Spanish fighter has transitioned from the featherweight division this year following his successful, albeit brief, reign as champion.
After claiming the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in February 2024, Topuria secured another impressive finish eight months later, becoming the first fighter to stop Max Holloway.
This victory marked the end of his short tenure at 145 pounds, as `El Matador` vacated the featherweight belt to pursue the lightweight championship.
Despite Topuria`s calls for a fight against Islam Makhachev, the Dagestani champion opted for a different weight class move himself. Consequently, the undefeated Topuria is now set to face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317.
Kenny Florian Backs Ilia Topuria for Lightweight Title Win, Citing Canelo-like Skill
During an appearance on RJ Clifford’s MMA Today show, former three-time UFC title challenger Kenny Florian offered his prediction for the upcoming championship bout in the lightweight division.
`KenFlo` leaned towards the favorite, predicting Topuria would achieve his goal of becoming a two-division champion in the main event of International Fight Week.
Explaining his choice, Florian pointed to a specific and rare skill that Topuria shares with Canelo – a skill that has historically caused problems for Oliveira.
“I’m leaning the way of Ilia Topuria,” Florian stated. “I’m doing that because as of right now, I don’t see a whole lot of guys in mixed martial arts that have mastered that inside range the way Ilia Topuria has.”
“I often compare his skills in some way to Canelo. When Canelo’s on point and in the pocket, there’s very few boxers that are going to be as devastating as him inside that pocket. Ilia Topuria has mastered that range, and I don’t think there’s a whole lot of MMA guys that have.”
“Oliveira tends to struggle in that range. The times that he gets hurt, it’s in that range. Ilia Topuria, he’s unforgiving in that range.”
Ilia Topuria`s Past Interest in Boxing Canelo Alvarez
Recent discussions linking Topuria and Canelo haven`t solely revolved around comparisons of their fighting styles.
Following Kamaru Usman`s boxing challenge to Canelo, `El Matador` also expressed his interest in stepping into the boxing ring with the undisputed super middleweight champion shortly after winning his title at UFC 298 in 2024.
In an interview on El Partidazo de Cope, Topuria indicated that boxing is definitely in his future plans. When asked about a dream opponent, he named Canelo Alvarez.
“I’m not going to leave sport without boxing. I won’t do many fights, but one or two for sure,” Topuria stated.
“The one I would like the most is Canelo Alvarez.”
For now, Topuria`s primary focus remains on his MMA career and building a legacy that could place him among the sport`s all-time greats.
His next significant challenge on this path is the fight against Charles Oliveira, scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on June 28.
Gareth Pendleton