Israel Adesanya believes there’s only one individual who could meet his lucrative price tag for a boxing match once he concludes his UFC career, and that figure is quite substantial.
As the former two-time UFC middleweight champion seeks to rebound from recent setbacks in the Octagon, he remains focused on ending his current losing streak. Adesanya's last fight saw him suffer a knockout defeat at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov nearly a year ago, which came after consecutive title fight losses against Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis.
Given his recent struggles within the cage and his drift away from championship contention, fans and analysts alike have speculated whether ‘The Last Stylebender’ might follow in the footsteps of other MMA celebrities who have made the leap to boxing. Names like Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley have all entered the boxing ring, often clashing with social media star Jake Paul, while other fighters such as Darren Till and Tony Ferguson have recently made their impact felt under the Misfits Boxing promotion.
However, Adesanya has expressed that he does not intend to follow this trend, although he admitted in a recent Q&A session at Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA that he does have a specific figure in mind that might tempt him to reconsider.
That number might just be within the financial reach of Turki Alalshikh—one of the few people Adesanya mentioned who could afford his asking price.
"I see my career ending in the UFC; I truly believe that. Yet, I never say never,” Adesanya stated during the session. "A couple of months back, I pondered over this, and I’ve always maintained that boxing isn’t for me. Mixed martial arts is the pinnacle of fighting. It encompasses the use of all your limbs and skills. How could I, as someone who has been at the top of this sport, decide to switch to boxing?
“I've always thought no, believing my legacy is firmly established. But everyone has a price, and I think I found mine a couple of months ago," he continued. "It’s a pretty hefty figure. I doubt anyone else could come up with it—well, maybe Turki could—but honestly, I plan to finish strong in the UFC.”
Looking ahead, Adesanya hasn’t fought since his defeat in Saudi Arabia last February, but he is anticipated to return to the ring in 2026. After his loss to Imavov, Adesanya initially sought a rematch with former champion Sean Strickland; however, after not receiving a favorable response from Strickland, he decided to move on and is now open to facing any challenger.
"Honestly, I’m not surprised by Strickland’s silence when I called him out last September," Adesanya shared with Submission Radio. "If you want something done right, do it well from the start. That’s a valuable lesson I’ve learned. He’s busy with his own affairs and has already achieved his financial goals. I don’t want to be left waiting around. I’m ready to fight anyone who steps up."
What do you think about fighters transitioning from MMA to boxing? Is there a fighter you’d like to see make that jump? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
