Ilia Topuria Goes Against Dana White’s Wishes for Potential Terence Crawford Boxing Match

Ilia Topuria, the UFC champion, has made headlines not just for his knockout power inside the Octagon but also for his daring decision to enter the boxing ring. As he prepares for his next title defense, ‘El Matador’ has openly expressed his desire to fight boxing legend Terence Crawford in a crossover contest. Despite Dana White‘s obvious reluctance, Ilia Topuria is confident that he can persuade the UFC CEO to support his dream.

The Spanish-Georgian made some massive statements at a press conference for the Wow FC MMA company, of which he is a part owner. “It’s something I want to do, and I don’t think [Dana] will tell me he doesn’t want to help me achieve my dream… I’ll have his support; I have no doubt about that. It’ll take some convincing, but I’m sure it’ll work out,” he said.

Ilia Topuria emphasized his confidence that the head honcho’s eventual backing is inevitable, even if it takes some effort to gain approval. The conflict between Topuria’s goals and White’s position became clear following fight week in Las Vegas. With White’s foray into boxing, notably the upcoming fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, fans speculated about potential MMA-boxing crossovers.

When asked about the idea of Topuria boxing Crawford, the UFC CEO responded bluntly, “I certainly hope not.” Dana White’s stance reflects a reluctance to replicate the spectacle of Conor McGregor’s 2017 boxing debut versus Floyd Mayweather, an event that disrupted both sports but also brought criticism.

Ilia Topuria‘s challenge to Crawford is more than just bravado; it is backed by his MMA credentials. The unbeaten 28-year-old has stopped elite fighters such as Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, and Max Holloway, winning featherweight and lightweight titles with brutal knockouts. His knockout ratio and aggressive technique have garnered him comparisons to the top attackers from all combat sports.

As a result, he began this feud on social media and shared a picture of Crawford with the caption, “I put him to sleep in the first contact,” suggesting that he believes boxing’s best would have no chance against his punching prowess.

And while many expected Crawford to simply ignore the fighter, even he responded by calling Ilia Topuria drunk for posting the tweet. This little back-and-forth surely has earned all the fan interest, and now, even Topuria is clapping back, making sure this feud remains an unmissable one for fight fans.

Ilia Topuria responds to Terence Crawford’s ‘drunk’ reply

The Spanish-Georgian has simply refused to back down after Terence Crawford’s insult. Instead, he took the opportunity to criticize what he considers disrespect from some boxers toward MMA fighters. For him, it’s not about causing drama; it’s about standing up for his sport and challenging those who talk without putting themselves in the cage.

“I have no opinion on what (Crawford) said,” Topuria stated at the aforementioned WOW press conference. “Whenever he wants to measure himself, when he wants to test his technique and skills, I’m here to show him.” His cool response showed that he is prepared to meet any challenge, but he isn’t interested in needless trash talk.

Ilia Topuria further added that while many MMA fighters have transitioned to boxing, few boxers have done the same. “There are many MMA athletes who have tried going into boxing to test their skills, but I don’t know many of the boxers that talk so much that have actually tested themselves in MMA. But in any case, whoever wants it, I’m here,” he said, reinforcing that he’s not just boasting; he’s willing to put his skills to the test. So, will Dana White let him fight? Let us know in the comments.