Anthony Pettis may not have much time left in MMA, but his combat sports career isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
The former UFC lightweight champion, who will face Nate Diaz disciple Chris Avila on Saturday, has made it clear that he only returns to MMA for the right opportunities, while focusing most of his attention on his burgeoning boxing career. Pettis is set to face former kickboxing star Cedric Doumbe later this year in the PFL, but first he has to face Avila, and then there’s a potential fight awaiting him against an even bigger name in the sport of boxing.
“I’m trying to stay busy with boxing,” Pettis told MMA Fighting. “I’ve got this boxing fight on July 6th and then I’ve got another big name that’s a boxing opportunity as long as I beat Avila on July 6th.”
“My next fight after this is a boxer who is currently competing in boxing and is ranked. I already have a name in mind. I have to go out there to impress and then I have a name in mind.”
Pettis could not reveal the potential opponent because he must first face Avila before he can begin planning future fights.
His boxing match Saturday as part of the card featuring Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal comes more than a year after he pulled off a surprising upset over former pound-for-pound boxing king Roy Jones Jr. in his professional debut.
Sure, Jones at 54 wasn’t the same dynamic fighter that the boxer who bounced around several weight classes in his prime in the early 2000s was, but this wasn’t a fight Pettis was expected to win. He admits he had to employ some strategy in this fight because, age aside, Jones was still a dangerous opponent with plenty of power in his hands.
This time around, however, Pettis doesn’t feel like he’s facing the same level of risk, which is why he’s predicting an emphatic finish against Avila.
“That fight, I want to knock him out,” Pettis said. “With Roy Jones, I knew I had to go out there and outwork him. He’s smart. Because he just fought Mike Tyson. I wasn’t going to just throw a right punch and knock him out.”
“But Avila, he’s KOable, if that’s a word. I feel like he gets hit a lot. He’s never fought a guy like me and I think he underestimates my boxing skills. He thinks I’m an MMA fighter.”
Since becoming a full-time boxer, Avila has been impressive with five straight wins, but Pettis expects he’ll have a chance to shine in this fight.
He has worked tirelessly on his boxing over the past few years since his MMA career slowed down, though he is eager to show how much his hands have improved when he eventually returns to the PFL for that matchup with Doumbe.
“I’ve always loved boxing, but I’ve never been able to focus solely on my hands because of MMA,” Pettis said. “My kicks have always been my strong suit. I think when I come back to MMA, I’ll surprise everyone with how good my hands are, my inside game, and how much I’ve learned using my hands over the last couple of years.”
Boxing may be his priority now, but Pettis expects he will continue to accept offers in MMA, just like when the PFL offered him a chance to face Doumbe later this year.
If all goes well on Saturday, Pettis plans to fight Doumbe in September and then hopefully reveal the notable name he plans to face in boxing before the end of 2024.
“I’m not done with MMA,” Pettis said. “I’ll probably have a few more fights, a few more years of fighting in MMA. I don’t think I’m going to chase a belt, but the right fights, the right people, the right opponent, yeah, I’m definitely still in the game.”
