UFC star Israel Adesanya shuts down future boxing move: ‘The money’s too much to get me back’
Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has shut down the possibility of another venture to the professional boxing ring in the future amid links to a UFC comeback later this year – claiming it would cost any promoter too much to lure him back to the squared circle.
Adesanya, a former undisputed middleweight champion twice under the banner of the Dana White-led UFC, has been sidelined since last September, on that occasion setting an unwanted record and suffering his second championship loss in the space of a calendar year.
And linked with a comeback at the middleweight limit in a title fight against South African rival, Dricus du Plessis later this annum, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya claimed that the Pretoria native shut down an offered title grudge fight at UFC 300 in April.
Israel Adesanya talks potential boxing move
Ahead of former two-time world champion, Anthony Joshua’s return to boxing this weekend against Adesanya’s close friend, former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou – whom the former walked to the ring for his August fight with Tyson Fury, Adesanya shut down rumors of a potential return to boxing himself.
“‘You ever thought about going in the boxing ring?’ I was like, I already did,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “6-1. The money’s too much for them to get me back. I just feel like I’ve already done that, and right now, the UFC’s looking after me pretty well. But I know what you mean – there’s a number, but I don’t think these guys are willing to pay it.”
In his last venture to the Octagon, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya dropped a one-sided decision shutout loss to former champion, Sean Strickland – a defeat he has vowed to avenge before the end of his illustrious career.
When do you expect to see Israel Adesanya fight again?
