• Boxing/MMA

Tyson Fury claims he'd smash UFC 'midget' Velasquez

ESPN staff
January 3, 2013
Cain Velasquez batters Junior Dos Santos

British heavyweight Tyson Fury sparked a new bout of boxing v MMA headlines on Thursday by claiming he would "smash" UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

Fury's reputation is as strong as it has ever been after he chalked up his 20th professional bout without defeat, and if he gets his way he will fight Vitali Klitschko for a world title in March.

However, if he cannot lure the Ukrainian into the ring, Fury appears more than willing to take on newly-crowned UFC star Velasquez, who won back the belt against Junior Dos Santos with a dominant performance on December 29.

Fury attempted to bait a response either from Velasquez or UFC president Dana White, claiming he is the real "baddest man on the planet", a label often used to describe the UFC heavyweight champion. And it appears Fury would even be willing to fight MMA rules against Velasquez to prove his point:

"If the Klitchkos [won't] fight me then I'll go and fight the MMA heavyweight champ, at least he is game. Wouldn't last 2 rounds," Fury tweeted.

"I'm the new baddest man on the planet, I'll smash @cainmma. Let's get it on!"

Fury then tweeted to Velasquez: "I challenge you to fight all in a cage or ring! It could be billed as the man vs midget. Let's get it on! You small stiff idiot."

Should an MMA bout ever be made between the two fighters, Fury would surely start as a heavy underdog against Velasquez, despite his severe height and reach advantage.

Velasquez is an elite-level wrestler who can win a fight standing or on the ground, and previous examples of such match-ups have proven boxers cannot compete under such rules. James Toney was easily dismantled by Randy Couture in the last such high profile bout, and Fury v Velasquez would be expected to go the same way.

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