Vitor Belfort eyes Tommy Fury, pitches Tyson Fury-Junior dos Santos bout
MMA legend Vitor Belfort thinks a fight with Tommy Fury would be a smart business decision.
After his match with former boxing champion Chad Dawson at Triller's Triad Combat 2 event on Feb. 26, Belfort wants to square off with Fury, a popular, up-and-coming boxer and the half-brother of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.
"I will fight him anytime," Belfort told theScore. "Tommy Fury, it's a shame you were going to fight Jake Paul. Fighting a YouTuber is a shame. (Paul) is a piece of shit. Not as a person - as a fighter.
"Tommy Fury, I'm up to the challenge," he continued. "Let's make this duel."
Belfort also wants to see Tyson Fury join Triad Combat to participate in a crossover fight with former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, who's scheduled to headline the Feb. 26 card against former boxing title challenger Kubrat Pulev. Belfort said both fights could take place at a planned Triller event on May 14.
Triad Combat combines boxing with some MMA rules, such as clinching. The first event took place in November and featured Pulev and several UFC veterans.
"That is the biggest fight ever on pay-per-view," Belfort said of the proposed matchups. "Boxers versus MMA, as real as it can get."
Tommy Fury was scheduled to headline a Showtime pay-per-view card in December against Paul, an internet personality who's become one of the hottest commodities in boxing over the last year. Fury withdrew from the fight due to a broken rib and chest infection, though he's said he hopes to rebook it.
Meanwhile, Belfort crossed over to boxing last September, when he welcomed Evander Holyfield back to the ring and scored a first-round TKO at a Triller Fight Club event.
Belfort was initially scheduled to face Oscar De La Hoya, but De La Hoya pulled out after testing positive for COVID-19. The promotion talked about rebooking that fight for November, but it didn't materialize.
When asked if he's still interested in fighting him, Belfort was torn. Part of him wants the fight because it would do well on pay-per-view, but the other part believes it would be risky. Belfort has serious doubts about whether De La Hoya would make it to the fight. He thinks De La Hoya is "scared" of him.
"Oscar lost his credibility," Belfort said. "Right now, if I sign (to fight) Oscar, we're going to lose money again on production. He got COVID and now he's going to have omicron."
Instead, Belfort wants to train top freestyle wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs to box De La Hoya. He thinks Burroughs is an opponent De La Hoya would be willing to fight.
"I'm going to convince (Burroughs) to face Oscar De La Hoya in Triad," Belfort said. "And Oscar, that guy has never punched in his whole life. I promise you, I'm going to train (him) to kick your ass."
Belfort didn't say whether he's talked to Burroughs about his idea, but he was adamant Burroughs would agree to come to his gym to train in boxing.
"He's going to put his hands on that boy," Belfort said. "He's going to make guacamole out of Oscar."
Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, last fought in MMA almost four years ago. The Holyfield bout was his first time competing in combat sports since May 2018, when he suffered a knockout loss to Lyoto Machida in his final UFC bout.
"The Phenom" said he's focused on Triad Combat and has no plans to return to MMA.
"That chapter is done," Belfort said. "In life, you have to know how to transition. Triad is a future Olympic sport. I'm looking to have a lot of Triad fights. I'm looking to go for the big fights. But I think MMA, it's enough."