UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has rejected a challenge issued to him by undefeated heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury.
Last week, several days after Velasquez’ win over Junior dos Santos at UFC 155 to reclaim the title, Fury (20-0 with 14 KOs) took to Twitter and challenged Velasquez to a fight.
Velasquez did not respond to the challenge until Thursday when he told ESPNChicago.com: “I didn’t know who he was until this,” Velasquez said. “I think he’s using my name to gain publicity, which he has done, everybody is bringing it up.”
Fury is the current WBO Intercontinental heavyweight champion and owns British, Commonwealth and Irish heavyweight titles. He is currently seeking a fight with Vitali Klitschko, however the Englishman says the WBC heavyweight champ, and his brother Wladimir Klitschko, are afraid to fight him and that’s why he challenged Velasquez.
Cain valasquez is a little midget on steds bring it on I’ll fight. Not a man born from his mother can beat me! Contact Hennessy sports! — Tyson Fury (@Tyson_Fury) January 3, 2013
Cain valasquez is a little midget on steds bring it on I’ll fight. Not a man born from his mother can beat me! Contact Hennessy sports!
— Tyson Fury (@Tyson_Fury) January 3, 2013
@cainmma I challenge uto fight all in in a cage or ring! It could be billed as the man vs midget lets get it on! U small stif idiot. Tit! — Tyson Fury (@Tyson_Fury) January 3, 2013
@cainmma I challenge uto fight all in in a cage or ring! It could be billed as the man vs midget lets get it on! U small stif idiot. Tit!
Velasquez, 30, is not one for talking trash or calling people out and never took the challenge seriously.
“I’m not a boxer,” Velasquez said. “I’m a mixed martial artist, and if he wants to fight, he can go into the UFC and work his way up like everybody else does. Nothing is given to you in this world. To me, it’s like don’t talk about it, go ahead and do it. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Although it is uncommon, high-profile fights between mixed martial artists and boxers have occurred in recent years. At UFC 118 Randy Couture welcomed James Toney to MMA and beat himfor a few minutes before quickly submitting him with an arm-triangle in the first round. Also, former UFC champ Tim Sylvia fought Ray Mercer at a local event in Alabama in 2009. Surprisingly, in that bout Mercer knocked out Sylvia in just nine seconds.