Alex Pereira, a former two-division Glory kickboxing champion and current UFC light heavyweight champion, aspires to become a three-sport world champion by challenging for the UFC heavyweight title and competing in professional boxing, despite already having an illustrious career in MMA.
Alex Pereira dreams big—he wants to be a world champion in three sports.
Once a two-division Glory kickboxing champ, Pereira switched gears to MMA, joining the UFC in 2021. His rise was meteoric, crafting one of the most impressive careers in UFC history. Former middleweight champ and current light heavyweight king, “Poatan” has achieved what many fighters only fantasize about. But he’s not done yet. Not even close. He’s eyeing the heavyweight title and has his sights set on boxing too.
“I don’t know, I think anything is possible,” he mused. “It’s something I can’t plan, but it is something I would really like to do.”
Speaking through a Portuguese translator on the Jaxxon Podcast, Pereira expressed his desires: “That’s something that I really want. I’m under contract with the UFC. We know [Conor] McGregor did it. I don’t know how I would, but someday I would really like to do it.”
Pereira’s no stranger to boxing—he made his pro debut back in 2017 with a third-round TKO win. But he’s not just looking for a casual dip; he wants to dive headfirst into the deep end.
“I’m the champ. I would like to fight the champ,” he declared boldly. “So Oleksandr Usyk…”
He continued, “I think it’s a very good fight. I love boxing. Some folks say, ‘Oh, if it were pure boxing he would be lost.’ Man, when you talk pure boxing, I feel great. I think I could fight these guys out there. I’ve already done some sparring with experienced guys, Plinio [Cruz, his coach] knows it, and they’re winning everything there.”
Usyk—a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight phenom—is climbing the ranks of all-time greats after besting Tyson Fury twice in 2024. It’s a colossal challenge for sure, but Pereira’s coach believes in him.
“Me, personally, I’ve put him already to spar some world-class, top-10 heavyweight boxers,” Plinio Cruz shared. “Guys with names, real good names that I’m not going to mention, but he did really good, so I think he could do good. I believe in him.”
Pereira’s next hurdle? Defending his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8.