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Anthony Joshua has urged two-weight UFC champion Alex Pereira to switch to boxing.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Brazilian retained his light-heavyweight title in fine style<\/a> against Jiri Prochazka last month, adding another knockout to his impressive resume.<\/p>\n Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, sent Pereira a message on social media, saying: “Alex Pereira should make a boxing debut one day.”<\/p>\n Pereira has quickly become of the UFC’s biggest stars, winning world titles in two divisions since making his octagon debut in 2021.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m honoured you think so,” Pereira said in response to Joshua. “It\u2019s always been my dream – [but] I\u2019m 37, I cannot make a career in it, so who do you recommend I fight?”<\/p>\n Joshua replied by saying the “options are endless”, urging Pereira to get in touch with his management company about transitioning to boxing.<\/p>\n Pereira headlined UFC 300 earlier this year and stepped in at two weeks’ notice to replace Conor McGregor as the main event for UFC 303.<\/p>\n He would not be the first mixed martial arts star to try boxing in recent times, with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou taking on Tyson Fury and Joshua in a boxing ring.<\/p>\n Ngannou, 37, gave a good account of himself in his pro boxing debut against Fury <\/a>– going 10 rounds with the then unbeaten heavyweight – but was knocked out in two rounds by Joshua in March<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pereira transitioned from kickboxing to MMA and has teased a move up to heavyweight after winning titles at light-heavyweight and middleweight.<\/p>\n Ngannou repeatedly stated boxing offered much bigger fight purses than the UFC, which he left to pursue a career in boxing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n