Ahead of his fight against Max Holloway, Calvin Kattar has issued a warning for his opponent to be.
The 2021 UFC season will kick-start on January 16, at Fight Island, with a building star-studded card, set to be headlined by Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar.
The match-up is apparently making more rounds because it will mark the return of the former featherweight champion Max Holloway. Being a fan favorite fighter, Holloway’s controversial split decision loss against Alexander Volkanovski did not go well with his followers who unanimously termed the result as an outright robbery and targeted the current champion Volkanovski as well. Thus, with angst still seemingly residing, they want to see Holloway getting the title shot again, and hence probably overlooking the challenge of Calvin Kattar in hand.
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Calvin Kattar claims he cannot be overlooked
Addressing the subject, in a chat with MMA Fighting, the Boston Finisher expressed his displeasure on what’s being perceived.
“There’s these guys out there touting Max like he’s still the champ, and I think he may even be still focused on the champ. But to overlook me would be a mistake.
“Any time you fight a guy like Max Holloway with the accolades he has, it is a championship-caliber fight,” Kattar said. “He might not have the belt right now, but it’s that type of fight, 100 percent. It’s a five-round main event fight and the only thing missing is the belt.
“It’s all about Max Holloway and I don’t plan on leaving it close.”
Katter Continued, “It’s different when you fight a guy that has similar reach and, not only the reach but can fight that style of fighting long,” Kattar said. “I think both of us present problems that neither one of us have faced before. And we’ll find out what’s up come Jan. 16.
“It’s coming close, and all it is here is finishing camp strong. Dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s, and I’ve been ready to go all year long. Jan. 16 can’t come soon enough.”
“You have to take out Max Holloway on the way”
Calvin Katar acknowledged the stature of Max Holloway and implicated that in order to get a shot at the title, one must pass the Max Holloway challenge.
“I think anybody that wants to fight for the belt should have to go through Max,” Kattar stated. “To bypass Max on the way to the belt doesn’t make sense to me. If you want to be the champion, you have to take out Max Holloway on the way. And I’ve got the opportunity in front of me. After Max, (the belt) would be the goal.
“Whoever wanted that opportunity had it when they could’ve fought Max but I don’t see too many people chomping at the bit to fight him besides myself.”
Though he is eager to compete against the Blessed one but did not have any prediction in mind, however, believes if he goes on to showcase the best version of himself, then he will be able to beat Max Holloway.
“I just gotta go out there and be Calvin Kattar better than he can be Max Holloway,” Kattar said. “That will be enough; just go out there, do what I do, perform how I can. If I can do that, the rest will take care of itself.”
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