“Maybe a show fight with Alex Pereira. Maybe, why not? Alex wanna,” boxing heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk said when asked who he wants to compete against in his potential swansong. This came as a shock to most in the fight world. Although UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira had called out the Ukranian juggernaut for a boxing match first, that was just seen as par for the course by fans.

“That’s [a boxing match is] something that I really want… I don’t know how I would, but someday I would really like to do it. I’m the champ. I would like to fight the champ. So Oleksandr Usyk,” Pereira said on ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s JAXXON podcast.

That wasn’t surprising—many UFC fighters are eager to cross over into boxing, drawn by the significantly higher pay and increased media exposure. However, what caught everyone off guard was Oleksandr Usyk’s willingness to reciprocate. In an era where celebrity boxing and crossover fights are becoming the norm, Usyk has remained a purist, consistently seeking out the best competition in the world.

Before accepting Pereira’s challenge, the Ukrainian had never even hinted at an interest in stepping outside traditional boxing. That’s precisely why his sudden desire to face ‘Poatan’ before retiring came as such a shock to the combat sports world. While many fans cannot wait to watch it, British boxing legend Carl Froch isn’t too enthusiastic about the prospects of this contest. Although the former super-middleweight champion felt that the Saudis would probably agree to “put on Usyk-Pereira,” he strongly feels that “Pereira won’t have a chance.” 

Well, why does Froch believe so? For all the reasons you’d expect. The British legend said, “I’ve recently watched, it was last night. I watched Alex Pereira sparring on YouTube and he’s okay. He’s a little bit upright, chin’s in the air a bit, but it’s just he’s a bit bolt rigid and no head movement and quite basic. Usyk’s dealt with the best in the world.

“So Usyk against Pereira in a boxing match based on what I’ve seen of Pereira… Oleksandr Usyk against Pereira in a boxing ring for me, it’s a mismatch. It’s not really something I’d want to see,” Froch told fans on his YouTube channel.

Indeed, the Brazilian does have what would be considered technical flaws in his game, but that is part of the UFC champ’s style, which has brought him immense success so far. Will he go into a boxing match with Usyk, the best in the world, with the same style? Probably not.

Things like keeping your hands down and backing up in a straight line, or keeping his chin in the air may work in MMA and kickboxing. But under the restrictive boxing rules, this style may prove to be a liability for ‘Poatan’. And like all great fighters, ‘Poatan’ can adapt and change his style depending upon his opponent. So why won’t he do so against Usyk? However, Pereira also has a Plan B super-fight in case the Usyk fight doesn’t materialize.

Alex Pereira’s other super fight option after the Magomed Ankalaev bout

Alex Pereira is set to face Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, which will probably be his toughest fight at light heavyweight so far. After all, the Dagestani can wrestle, even if he likes to do his best work on the feet. On the other hand, the most notable thing about Pereira’s ground game is its absence. This has many convinced that Ankalaev will just takedown ‘Poatan’ and rag-doll him there.

But if Pereira does beat Ankalaev, and the UFC isn’t interested in letting him box Usyk, ‘Poatan’ has a back-up plan. “There is an interest, there is a potential. Even Jon Jones expressed himself [that he wants to fight me]. We wanted to do this, we want [to do it], now it’s up to the UFC to make it happen,” Pereira said in his native Portuguese at a recent event.

Of course, ‘Poatan’ has long wanted to move up to heavyweight and fight for a record third title there. There is also the possibility that Pereira may fight interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall if the Englishman gets to fight and beats Jon Jones to become the new undisputed champion. What do you think about Carl Froch’s take on Pereira’s boxing abilities?