Sean O’Malley is preparing for his biggest fight yet when he takes on bantamweight veteran Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 early next month, but “Sugar” is also plotting his UFC takeover and eventual crossover into boxing.
As one of the most promising young fighters on the UFC roster today O’Malley commands a ton of attention each and every time he steps inside of the Octagon. The 27-year-old fighter hasn’t defeated any top names as of yet, but he’ll get his chance to enter the bantamweight top 10 with a win over Munhoz next weekend in Las Vegas.
O’Malley, who believes he’s ready to fight the best 135-pounders in the world today, is as confident as they come. With a 7-1 UFC record and five knockout wins under his belt since making his debut back in 2017 it’s easy to see why. “Sugar” is hoping to continue his winning ways in order to climb the bantamweight ladder and fight his way to a title. After that, O’Malley will be looking to become UFC’s newest double champ.
“I’m eventually gonna go up to ’45,” said O’Malley during a recent interview with Canal Encarada. “Before I do that, I have to become the bantamweight champion. It has to be done,” O’Malley said. “I think I will, once I’m bantamweight champion, deserve and earn a title shot at ’45. I believe I can become double-champ.”
It will be a long road for O’Malley to claim the undisputed bantamweight strap and move up to featherweight to capture that belt, but crazier things have happened in MMA. O’Malley is a super talented fighter so it’s certainly possible. Should “Sugar” become a UFC double champ he’ll be looking to follow in the footsteps of Conor McGregor and carry his talents over to the boxing ring, where he hopes to eventually square off with reigning WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis.
“And then I do think, in the future, Gervonta Davis sounds like a big fight for me. I would love to go over to the boxing world,” he said. “I know people love it, they hate it, they don’t want to talk about it. ‘MMA never beats boxers.’ But I’m in the entertainment business and I believe in my skills.
“I truly think that in four or five years, that if I’m double-champ, or if I’ve been the bantamweight, been the featherweight champ, and Gervonta Davis is still a superstar, there’s no reason I can’t go over there and perform for the fans in boxing and put his lights out, too and become the biggest combat sports athlete in the world.”
What do you think, Maniacs? Can O’Malley become a UFC double champ? How would he do against Davis inside the boxing ring?
Sound off!