Ilia Topuria probably won’t get his wish, but he’s doubled his callout to fight Terrence Crawford, especially after appearing in the same song that UFC Lightweight Champion used before beating Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.
Crawford used the truck when he marched into the ring before winning Alvarez in the 12th round on Saturday. Mariachi’s song Actor Antonio Banderas and band Los Lobos became famous for his 1995 film. Desperad.
“First he calls me drunk… Then he comes up in my song,” Topuria wrote on Twitter. “Crawford, whenever you want, I will teach you how to dance that Mariachi in the ring. And Canelo, I will save you after him.”
Topuria reiterates his desire for a crossover from MMA to boxing, just as Conor McGregor did for his 2017 fight with Floyd Mayweather. The experiment ended with McGregor suffering his 10th knockout, but he still earned incredible publicity, let alone a nine-figure payday for his efforts.
Since that fight ended, UFC CEO Dana White has been scoffing at allowing another fighter to try his hand in boxing, but Topuria believes he is in a unique position to change his mind.
“That’s what I want to do and I don’t think I’ll tell him I don’t want to help him achieve my dreams… I have his support, I have no doubt about it,” Topria said when she appeared on WOW FC. “It needs to be persuasive, but I’m sure it will work.”
It seems very unlikely that Topuria will have a chance, but he certainly has got star power behind him and at least makes that demand. Topuria has become one of the most talked about fighters in the world, not to mention climbing the pound rankings after winning UFC titles at both 145 and 155 pounds.