Former interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane wanted to be exactly like one of his boxing heroes when he began to dip his toes into Muay Thai.
Ciryl Gane has developed into one of the most unique athletes in mixed martial arts. His unorthodox striking base, combined with his behemoth size, has made him a headache for UFC heavyweight during his career.
Gane is one of the faces of French MMA after the sport was previously banned in his home country. Despite the complicated history of MMA in France, Gane was driven to pursue excellence in the cage by watching a heavyweight boxing superstar rise to the top of his sport.
As Gane developed his Muay Thai toolbox in preparation for a full-time move to MMA, former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was someone he wanted to emulate in the cage.
Anthony Joshua inspired Ciryl Gane’s early interest in fighting
In a recent Vlog filmed by Red Corner MMA, Gane explained how he emulated Joshua en route to his UFC success.
“When I started doing Muay Thai, I remember I did exactly the same [as] Anthony Joshua,” Gane said. “Like damn, this guy is so f***ing good! ‘I want to be like him!’. I remember saying… ‘okay, let me do some push-ups like this! I want to be like him!’
“It was a motivation, and everybody needs that, to have a target.”
While Joshua’s best boxing fights are likely behind him, he remains one of the top names in the sport. He most recently lost by knockout to Daniel Dubois and as of this writing, a date for his return isn’t booked.
Gane and Joshua share some similarities in their careers. Both have lived up to immense hype from fans and pundits, and both physical specimens have unorthodox styles in fighting.
Ciryl Gane is hoping to get a third chance at the UFC heavyweight title
Gane is looking to earn himself another UFC heavyweight title shot against Alexander Volkov this Saturday at UFC 310. A possible clash with the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall winner is on the table, especially if Gane puts on a jaw-dropping performance on the final pay-per-view of the year.
Gane lost to Jones in a then-vacant UFC heavyweight title clash at UFC 285, moving him to 0-2 in lineal UFC title fights. Before the UFC 285 loss to Jones, Gane lost to Francis Ngannou in their title unification bout at UFC 270.
Despite some of his title fight setbacks, Gane has earned wins over the heavyweight elite, including Tai Tuivasa and Serghei Spivac. He captured the interim UFC heavyweight title by finishing the promotion’s all-time knockout king, Derrick Lewis, at UFC 265.
Gane is hoping to earn Joshua’s level of fame before he eventually hangs up the gloves. Ahead of UFC 310, one of boxing’s top phenoms inspired Gane’s path to excellence.