Anthony Pettis, the former UFC lightweight champion, left a trail of destruction in his wake, taking down some of the biggest names in the sport such as Donald Cerrone, Stephen Thompson, and Charles Oliveira. With a 2-fight winning streak under his belt, Pettis made a bold move by switching to PFL, where he had his first fight in April 2021. Now, he’s taking on a new challenge as he steps into the boxing ring to make his debut none other than the 54-year-old legend Roy Jones Jr. under Jorge Masvidal‘s promotion, Gamebred Boxing 4 on April 1, 2023.
However, the fans are left stunned as Pettis unveiled his incredibly bulky transformation, leaving everyone wondering how he managed to pack on so much muscle. The 36-year-old received quite a mix of responses to his transformation, but the majority of them drew parallel between his and Conor McGregor’s eyebrow-raising transformation.
Fans give Anthony Pettis the Conor McGregor treatment
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In true fighter fashion, Anthony Pettis is ready to throw a wrench into Jones Jr.’s record of 66-9 and turn those losses into double digits. He is ready to roll up his sleeves and show what he’s made of in the ring.
But his preparation for the big fight is battling with some criticism online. Some fans are under the impression that the 36-year-old may have used some enhancement aid in order to achieve that physique, something Conor McGregor got accused of, too.
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Check out the responses Pettis’ transformation received.
Some fans lauded the transformation:
“The bros looking like beast”
“Looking big champ! Go get it”
“Seeing him like this makes it even more impressive that he ever made featherweight”
Wherein some fans had questions as to how did Anthony Pettis manage to do this:
“Wtf did he eat? A brick?”
“On that Cowboy diet”
Read more: “Seems Illegal”: Fans Don’t Hold Back as Jorge Masvidal Pits Roy Jones Jr. Against Anthony Pettis
And then, came in the criticism from a section of fans:
“Mcgregor juice??”
“Damn roided up.”
“”Bro put on mad size Did you do this naturally?”
“Does Anthony on secret juice?”
“Pharmaceutical genetics”
Regardless of the criticism, this fight is a true jackpot for ‘Showtime’ Pettis, as he reveals the most financial perks of this bout.
The check for his fight is just as jacked
Recently, Anthony Pettis spoke with Ariel Helwani and discussed his boxing debut in depth. Upon doing so, Helwani asked the 36-year-old about his pay for his fight against ‘Captain Hook’, and his face could tell it all before his words came out.
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Pettis told ‘The MMA Hour’, “Oh man… Bro, it’s amazing. I was surprised to see the check. It made me not sign my PFL contract and we know my PFL contract was awesome. Great money. It’s enough for me to go fight Roy Jones Jr. in my professional debut as a boxer.”
That ought to make Pettis roll up his sleeves and show what he’s made of in the ring against Roy Jones Jr.
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Watch this story: Laura Sanko Creates UFC History, Conor McGregor Accused of Ducking Jorge Masvidal Fight, Tyron Woodley To Make Kickboxing Debut
How do you think the fight will play out? Could Anthony Pettis leave a dent in Roy Jones Jr.‘s record? Do let us know in the comments below.