Anthony Joshua hints at switch to MMA before retirement from boxing

Anthony Joshua has opened the door to a move into MMA.

The Watford powerhouse is no stranger to crossover clashes, having rendered former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou unconscious in the squared circle two years ago.

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Interest in interdisciplinary bouts reached a new high last month when kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven came within a whisker of dethroning lineal heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Now, Joshua is considering the possibility of stepping into the cage.

“Believe me, I was thinking, why don’t I step over into one of their territories, because they keep on coming to our territory?” Joshua told Ring Magazine.

“Obviously, this is big business. It’s big boxing, it’s heavyweight boxing. You are talking about the best in their chosen field.

“MMA, kickboxing. These aren’t amateurs; these are actually experienced fighters.

“It would be good if one of us went into that side and we see how we get on over there...

“100 percent [I’d want a name opponent].

“So that means it’s big business then. MMA, kickboxing, or boxing. It can be done, I believe it should be done.

“I think that will be the next thing that we want to see.”

For the most part, it has been combat sports athletes from other disciplines switching to boxing.

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And Joshua believes that is purely for commerical reasons.

“So even if let’s say, Anthony Joshua—speaking in third person—was to cross over into MMA, it wouldn’t be as big as them coming over into boxing,” Joshua added.

“Boxing is just the pinnacle of combat sport.”

Boxers that have competed in MMA

That isn’t to say that boxers haven’t turned their hand to MMA.

Holly Holm famously crossed over to MMA and snatched the UFC bantamweight title from Ronda Rousey after a glittering professional boxing career that saw her claim world titles in three seperate weight classes.

Former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer also knocked out former UFC heavyweight titlist Tim Sylvia during a brief stint in MMA, while Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall have all competed in PFL.

James Toney, on the other hand, was given a rude awakening when he challenged UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture with minimal training in 2010.

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