MMA legend Yoel Romero plotting crossover boxing debut at the age of 46
MMA legend Yoel Romero has confirmed a boxing debut is in the works for a future date, telling fight fans he will "see you soon".
The Bellator fighter will compete for light-heavyweight gold on Friday night in Chicago against Vadim Nemkov, who has seemed unbeatable in his run to the top of the promotion. And despite being closer to 50 than 40, he insists that he has at least six more years left in the sport and is planning a number of title defences.
But Romero is also keen to make the switch to boxing, having already represented his country in the Olympics as a wrestler and then made the successful transition into MMA where he has fought for world honours. He was previously considered as an opponent for Jake Paul, and has a number of offers available for a move into the ring.
"There is a huge possibility that I will box," he told Mirror Fighting ahead of his showdown with Nemkov in the Windy City this weekend. "There's something in the works but I can't say anything yet, there is definitely something in the works - see you soon!"
Romero has fought for the world title twice during his UFC stint, first losing a five-round war with Robert Whittaker for the interim title in 2017. His second effort, this time at the undisputed belt against Israel Adesanya in 2020 days before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, was a strange showing where neither man ever got into it and the fight didn't get going.
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And he insists that all of his attempts at gold were special, even though this one in particular comes after an initial cancellation. "I don't believe it's the most important fight of my career," he added. "It's a very important fight but all of the titles were important to me before, every title fight is important and no one is more than any other.
"I am very motivated to have an athlete like him in front of me, I like challenges in front of me, I've had other challenges of this magnitude and every challenge I've come at with all the discipline, focus and determination that I have needed. He is a complete athlete.
Bellator's Yoel Romero wants to box (Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA)Do you want to see Yoel Romero boxing after he becomes Bellator champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
"These things of fights falling through happens, when the fight fell through we took it with as much professionalism as you need for something like that. All we did was lower a little bit of the training, started working towards new training and now we're back ready for Friday night."
Romero turned 46 this April, but is still one of MMA's most in-shape athletes with a physique that stuns experts and a world championship level gas tank. He wants to win the belt and fight until he is 52, at which point he would surpass the legendary boxer Bernard Hopkins as the oldest fighter to hold a major title in combat sports.
"I have discipline, conviction and above everything I want to be 52 with the belt," Romero declared. "I want to pass what Bernard Hopkins did. I will do my fight, keep with the strategy that I have come up with alongside my coaches and I will leave Friday night with the belt."
You can watch Yoel Romero go for gold against Vadim Nemkov live and on demand, from any device, on BBC iPlayer this Friday night
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