Junior dos Santos has had a pretty impressive run int he UFC. It kicked off with him getting a shocking knockout win over heavy favorite Fabricio Werdum in 2008 which his most recent fight being a heavyweight title win on the UFC’s debut on FOX.
If his amazing rise through the UFC ranks wasn’t enough, now it appears the champ is interested on setting his sights on a new challenge down the road. Via UOL Esportes (translation via Tom Mendes).
First, Junior speaks:
“The more goals you reach, the bigger your dreams become. I’d like very much to test myself in boxing. In the gym I train boxing a lot and I see it as a sport that brings something different. You have to be more loose and faster. If the opportunity arises, I’d like to try it, but first I have to defend this (UFC) belt”
Then his coach:
To have Junior fighting at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro (in 2016) would be a dream, but today his priority is MMA. If one day he has the opportunity he could try to fight for the title.
Obviously 2016 is a long way off but it’s interesting that they’re even considering the possibility. At that point dos Santos would be in his early 30’s but there are some career amateur boxers who never turn pro and continue to compete well into their 30’s. I don’t expect he’d fare particularly well in the strange point-fighting system of Olympic boxing against guys who have been doing the same since they were kids, but it’s something that would at least make me kind of interested in watching Olympic boxing.