Myles Jury Calls UFC 182 Bout Against Donald Cerrone ‘Just Another Fight’
Undefeated at 15-0 after beating Diego Sanchez and Takanori Gomi this year to run his UFC win streak to six, lightweight Myles Jury is headed for the biggest fight of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career when he faces bulldozing veteran Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in the co-main event of January 3’s UFC 182 pay-per-view (PPV) from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Keeping that record intact against a proven contender like Cerrone won’t be an easy task in any sense, but if you ask “Fury,” that isn’t part of his mindset heading into the pivotal bout. Jury recently met with FOX Sports to explain how his focus isn’t on staying undefeated, but rather simply winning the current fight:
“I honestly don’t really think about it as much. The reason is probably because I always have solid challengers in front of me every time, that the last thing I’m thinking about is my record. It would be cool to keep that record and stay undefeated forever.
But, I’m flexible. I’m willing to do whatever I have to do. I hate losing. It’s the worst thing ever, but I’m not afraid of it. That frees me up to fight. If I’m thinking about how I can’t lose, and how I need to stay undefeated, I wouldn’t be focused on fighting.”
The 26-year-old Jury sounds wise beyond his years, something that most likely stems from his lengthy involvement with martial arts. He’s honed that skillset into a lethal mix of talents, becoming stoic and goal-oriented in the process.
Jury touched on his belief that evolution is key:
“The reason I’m improving so much is because I have a great team that prepares me, great training partners who get me ready. I also have an open mind and I’m always trying to learn. Evolution is the key. You’ve got to try and evolve and add skills.”
As a byproduct, he’s treating his huge showdown with Cerrone just like any other fight:
“On paper, this might be the biggest fight for me, but I feel like, from a fighter’s perspective, this is just another fight. This is just another fifteen minutes of putting in work, another time I have to make weight. Anything else, saying that Cerrone is the biggest fight, and that this is my chance, or whatever, is just added perceived pressure. I’m really focusing on what I have control of, and that’s another fight of hard work.”
Jury knows that he’s nearing the peak of the packed lightweight mountaintop, but he isn’t necessarily hell-bent on getting a title shot as soon as possible. However, there will only be so many places to go if he gets past Cerrone:
“I’m not a rush to get a title shot. I’m not going crazy waiting for one. I have no control of if I’m fighting for a title. But I tell you what – If I keep beating guys like Gomi, Sanchez and Cerrone, you better bet I’m going to call for a title shot.”
Jury could be knocking on the door of a title shot if he can derail Cerrone’s momentum in 10 days.
But many have had that chance recently, and many have failed.
Has Jury evolved enough to make Cerrone the sixteenth victim on his growing list?
Photo Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
