5 UFC superstars who could turn to pro boxing soon
Tyron Woodley became the latest UFC fighter to enter the boxing ring when he made his professional debut against social media star Jake Paul last weekend.
The former UFC welterweight champion, who parted ways with the promotion earlier this year, reportedly cashed in on a significant paycheque for his troubles. Woodley wasn't the first fighter to enter the realm of boxing in search of a payday, with Conor McGregor having set the trend of money fights.
Fighters like Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya have already fought in professional boxing bouts, while others like Cody Garbrandt competed at an amateur level. In the coming months and years, we could see several UFC fighters turn to pro boxing, with the MMA promotion's salary structure known to be harsh.
Here are five UFC superstars who could soon be seen in the boxing ring.
#5 UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier is one of the best pure boxers in the UFC right now, having beaten Conor McGregor twice and outstruck almost every striker he has faced over the last few years. 'The Diamond' seems intent on making as much money as he can before quitting the sport of MMA, which apparently doesn't interest him as much as it once did.
Poirier's immediate future has a lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira at the forefront, but he could soon enter a sport which he'd undoubtedly be good at. Speaking about the possibility of a boxing bout against Nate Diaz, the 32-year-old said in January 2020:
“I’d be willing to box him if they wanted to do that. I wish Zuffa Boxing was around and we’d have an opportunity – him and his brother were always talking about crossing over to boxing, I’d love to put the paws on him and show you guys my boxing skills.”
Poirier has taken shots at Diaz on social media, and has even been vocal about the Paul brothers' introduction to boxing. It isn't far-fetched to imagine him lacing up the gloves in the near future.