Ilia Topuria is hardly the first boxer who has confronted Charles Oliveira in his UFC career.
The former UFC-Fedweight champion is far away from its roots in Greco-Roman struggles. In more recent years, Ilia Topuria has found a love for his boxing, which eliminates fan favorites left and right.
Many fear that Oliveira will be the next.
Coming from knockouts from Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway at Featherweight, the Hardworturia is moving a division to challenge former champion Charles Oliveira for the empty lightweight title on UFC 317 on 28 June.
Oliveira, the most productive submission artist in the history of UFC, has seen his share of dangerous strikers before Topuria such as Justin Gaethje and Jeremy Stephens, as well as Holloway and Dustin Poirier, who fight each other in the UFC 318 main event.
So, who is the best boxer of all?
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Charles Oliveira says that Dustin Poirier is the sharpest boxer he has ever fought
Oliveira's answer could change after Ilia Topuria to UFC 317, but for now 'Do Bronx' believes that his former title -seconder Dustin Poirier has the 'sharpest' boxing.
“For me, of all the boys I fought, he is the one with the sharpest boxing,” Oliveira said about Poirier in an interview with complete violence.
“He fights more consciously, he has a very heavy hand.
“He knows how to play the game.”
Poirier fought Oliveira for the lightweight title on UFC 269 in December 2021 after Conor McGregor having stopped twice in the same year.
In the first round, Oliveira fell with a powerful left hook and came back to submit Poirier in the third round.
Charles Oliveira chooses Dustin Poirier above Max Holloway on UFC 318
Oliveira did not go three rounds when he fought against Max Holloway in 2015.
In the opening round of their featherweight battle, Oliveira ran a neck and shoulder injury in 99 seconds and stopped the game. Holloway received the TKO victory.
Holloway will meet Poirier in a trilogy fight on UFC 318 on July 18 in the native of Poirier of Louisiana. I look forward to the BMF title fight and Poirier's pension fight is Oliveira, who predicts that Poirier will be at the top.
“When I fought against Holloway, I didn't have the chance to fight because it was too fast because I had an injury. I think Holloway is a man who moves a lot, a man who catches …
“But man, Dustin Poirier is a man for whom I respect enormously.
“He will fight practically at home, so I think Poirier wins,” Oliveira predicted.