Jan Blachowicz promises ‘fireworks’ against Israel Adesanya if middleweight champion steps up to face him as Polish powerhouse suggests title fight in March
- Jan Blachowicz stopped Dominick Reyes to win vacant light-heavyweight title
- Polish fighter eyeing up clash with middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
- Adesanya’s coach recently talked up his man moving up to challenge Blachowicz
- And 37-year-old is up for fight and Tweeted that March would work for him
Jan Blachowicz has promised ‘fireworks’ and suggested March next year for a fight with Israel Adesanya.
The light-heavyweight champion won the title vacated by Jon Jones when he stopped Dominick Reyes earlier this month.
Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman recently revealed they were targeting the Nigerian-born New Zealander becoming a two-weight champion.
Jan Blachowicz wants his first title defence at light-heavyweight to be against Israel Adesanya
He told 1 NEWS: ‘Jared Cannonier was the option for this year but we’ve taken that option off the table.’
‘Now we want to fight next year and our preferred fight next year is at [light heavyweight].’
‘If we have to push it to next year, then our preferred option, the fight that we are going to try and negotiate to the best of our ability is going to be at 205 [pounds] for the title.’
Blachowicz caught wind of their plan and is up for the challenge.
On Friday he Tweeted: ‘I have heard that Israel Adesanya wants to face me next. No problem, If you are ready to fight in March, let’s do this. Prepare for a some fireworks guys.’
Adesanya demolished Paulo Costa at UFC 253 on Fight Island and is keen to move up
The 37-year-old may no have many years left at the top of the game and clearly is chasing lucrative fights while he sits at the top of the light-heavyweight division.
He has only lost one of his previous nine fights but before then had been defeated in four of five. The turnaround has been remarkable but Adesanya may feel this opportunity for the light-heavyweight belt is too good to pass up.
Originally Adesanya had wanted to fight again this year having dominated Paulo Costa to defend his middleweight title and remain unbeaten.
But his team are helping Junior Fa prepare for a boxing match with Joseph Parker and Adesanya is also one of Fa’s sparring partners.
His return will have to wait until 2021 and Blachowicz’s March suggestion could work for all parties.
The middleweight champion will not be fighting again this year with his coaches tied up
