"I'm not attached to it" - Israel Adesanya refers to Mike Tyson calling his boxing belts 'garbage' to explain how he feels about his middleweight title
![Israel Adesanya (left) and Mike Tyson (right) [Image credits: @stylebender and @miketyson via Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/02/1d6e6-16460604007552-1920.jpg?w=500)
Mike Tyson famously once dismissed his boxing titles as "garbage" in a 2011 video, a statement Israel Adesanya has now reflected on. The UFC middleweight champion recently detailed how he feels about his own gold, which he's held since October 2019.
Appearing on the True Geordie Podcast, 'The Last Stylebender' explained why he doesn't carry his belt around, unlike some other champions, even though it holds significance in his life. Adesanya said:
"I don't even carry it around because I don't get attached to it. A lot of people, you know, like Colby [Covington] when he had his belt, he was walking around with it. I understand that, I get it. I did that a couple of times. How does Mike Tyson go, 'This is garbage.' I don't think it's garbage yet because I still think it's the significance of that belt, it's important to me for what I'm doing. But I'm not attached to it. I'm not attached to it in the sense where it's like, 'This is my identity, this is all I am, I'm the champ.' I don't care."
Catch Israel Adesany's full conversation on the True Geordie Podcast below:
Israel Adesanya has been undefeated at middleweight since joining the UFC ranks back in 2018. The 32-year-old has run through Robert Whittaker (twice), Marvin Vettori (twice), Paulo Costa, Derek Brunson and Yoel Romero with a mix of precision striking and deft movement.
What's next for Israel Adesanya?
'The Last Stylebender' last competed against Robert Whittaker in a rematch at UFC 271. He picked up a unanimous decision win to conclude his storied rivalry with the former champion.
Adesanya now appears to have his sights set on No.2-ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier, who is coming off a TKO win over Derek Brunson at the February pay-per-view. 'The Killa Gorilla' and Sean Strickland are the only two middleweights in the top six who are yet to share the octagon with 'The Last Stylebender'.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the champion expressed his excitement about fighting Cannonier in June:
"Fight in June. Fight Jared in June. And then I already have plans for that fight. I look forward to that fight and I like that fresh meat. That excites me."
Watch Israel Adesanya discuss his plans to fight Jared Cannonier in the video below:
Israel Adesanya’s next fight in the UFC will see him put his middleweight crown on the line for the fifth time.