Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is looking at a possible move to boxing as he names his intended opponent.
We’ve all heard that narrative of the MMA fighter looking to crossover into boxing. And usually, it’s because of the big, fat paycheck that comes with competing inside the squared ring.
But if you ask Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, he’ll give you a slightly different answer.
“I’ve been fighting injured for over ten years now. And it’s MMA. When you gotta do a lot of wrestling and jiu-jitsu and stuff like that. Those injuries sneak up on you,” he said on Triller’s Triad Combat virtual presser on Monday.
“But boxing, when I’ve been training boxing, it feels great. I don’t have to take no damage on my knees trying to wrestle people down to the ground, pick them up and slam them. Boxing, you just got to bend your knees a little bit and head movement, all that stuff. So, I’m fine.
“I fought a lot of the best people in the sport. I (won) some, and I (lost) some. But the thrill is not there anymore in MMA. When I started, it’s like that rush.”
In his potential move to boxing, the 43-year-old ex-UFC champion is targeting a fight against fellow veteran and former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs. According to Jackson, he wants payback for Briggs’ “disrespectful” acts.
“Shannon’s real disrespectful,” he said of the 49-year-old Briggs. “I’mma keep it real, I’mma be honest, it’s embarrassing to me that I lost my last fight the way I lost it. And Shannon was very disrespectful. Like, before I can even get to the locker room, I got a text on my phone that said, ‘I’ll fight you! In boxing!’ He called me out in boxing.
“Then he goes and (becomes) really disrespectful and posting memes and putting my face on ridiculous things. Shannon’s real disrespectful. And I wanna shut him up. I’mma let him do all his talking and his laughing. He’s the Mean Queen. He called me out at the worst time possible.”
At this point in his career, Rampage says he’s ready to take on this new challenge.
“Me stepping into a boxing ring with somebody like Shannon’s caliber of boxing, I have that rush,” he said. “In training camp, I have that rush. It’s like, ‘Oh if I don’t get this right, there’s a chance I can get knocked out.’ I lost that over the years in MMA by fighting everybody and doing that.
“I accept the challenge. I think Shannon would be a real tough boxing match.”
Rampage, who’s been a heavyweight for the last five years, last fought at Bellator Japan in 2019 against Fedor Emelianenko. He lost via first-round KO.