On May 5 at UFC 301 in Brazil, former American light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith will fight undefeated Brazilian prospect Vitor Petrino.
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In an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net, Smith told:
- why bookmakers consider him an obvious underdog;
- how he came out to fight Khalil Rountree without preparation;
- what he thinks about his "doppelganger" Bogdan Guskov;
- what Magomed Ankalaev should not do in his fight with Alex Pereira;
- what he considers to be the worst fight of his career;
- and how he beat a mugger to a pulp.
"On Saturday, we'll find out how good Petrino really is"
- You are approaching the fight with Vitor Petrino as an obvious underdog. Are you comfortable in that role?
- It doesn't matter to me. The bookies don't know what they're talking about. This story is not about whether the bookies think I'm going to win or lose. In betting matters, it's all about where the money goes. So it just seems to me that a lot of Brazilian fans are betting on Vitor.
- What do you think of your undefeated opponent? Can he become a big star in the light heavyweight division?
- No, because I had something to do with it. I think he's going to have a long career. He's only at the beginning so far, but next thing you know, maybe he'll have five or six losses in his career and hopefully one of them from me. We'll see where he ends up. You know what I mean? I think on Saturday we'll find out how good he really is.
- What changes have you made in preparation after the disappointing loss to Khalil Rountree?
- A lot of changes. I had to adjust my game and be a little more responsible in defense, work on the little details of my preparation and try to get a little bit better every time.
I mean, for the Khalil Rountree fight, I went out to fight with no preparation. So I didn't know that Rountree gave a fair assessment of my game level.
"Guskov wants to make a name on me and I'm going to give him that opportunity"
- Many people believe that Russian fighter Bogdan Guskov looks like you. What did you think when you met him for the first time?
- It was so weird. He totally does, And he's also a very nice guy. He and I trained and sparred a little bit in Vegas. He's a very respectful, kind guy. And it was strange to make photos with him afterwards.
- What do you think about that sparring session and Guskov's skill?
He's good. He's fast, counterattacks well and moves well. He's not as big as I thought he would be. He's a little small for a light-heavyweight, but he makes up for it with power and speed. He has a big assortment of skills.
- He said he wants to fight you. Are you ready for that? An Anthony Smith fight with his double would surely be interesting for the fans?
- I'm ready to fight anyone, it doesn't matter to me. Of course he wants to fight me. I have a name, one of the biggest names in the division, and he's trying to make a name for himself. I understand that and I'm not offended by it at all. When the time comes, it will happen, and I will give him that opportunity.
- You lost both fights with Russian fighters by knockouts. Who was a more difficult challenge for you - Adlan Amagov or Magomed Ankalaev?
- Probably Amagov. I think he was better.
"The fight against Jones was the worst performance in my life"
- Should Magomed Ankalaev be Alex Pereira's next opponent? Can he beat him if they make that fight?
I don't know. Magomed Ankalaev is a good fighter and he is capable of doing that. But if he stands opposite Alex Pereira and exchanges punches with him, Pereira will knock him out. It's absolutely going to happen in this case.
But if Ankalaev fights smart, tries to take him down and can keep him on the ground, then I think he'll have good chances, even though he's not the best finisher. Since every round starts in the standup, Pereira can use his striking and conditioning, and he can get back up to his feet, staying safe for the rest of the round.
When the next round starts back in the standup again, you wouldn't want to stay there with Alex Pereira for too long. I think it's going to be an interesting confrontation. It's definitely one of the toughest tests for Pereira in the division. Magomed has the skills and ability to handle him.
- What do you think about Pereira's takedown defense? Is it good enough for a champion?
- It's good enough for today, but holding out against Ancalaev is really hard for anyone. I don't think it's as bad as people make it seem, but Ankalaev is a big, strong guy.
- The highlight of your career was your title fight with Jon Jones. How do you evaluate your performance? Did you do your best or could you have done more?
- It was the worst performance of my life. It was partly my fault, partly Jon Jones' fault. But you gotta accept that. I think both of those factors played a part here.
- What do you think about the return of Jose Aldo, who will be fighting on the same card with you?
- It's cool to see Jose Aldo return, especially here in Rio where he's so loved. He's fighting one of my teammates. I'm looking forward to seeing Jonathan Martinez go in there and get the win. Honestly, even though Jonathan is my teammate, it would be awesome to see Jose Aldo walk out again.
Bet on MMA with 1xBet"I beat a robber to a pulp, but it didn't really bother me"
- Three years ago, a burglar broke into your house, and you got into a fight. He could have been armed, but you decided to stop him alone with your bare hands. What made you decide to do that?
- I really didn't think long at that moment. It was more dangerous for my children and my wife, so I wasn't worried about getting into a fight with him. I knew this guy had broken into my house and I had a hard time with him, but the reality is that I beat him to a pulp. He then spent a long time in the hospital with a brain tumor trying not to die. But that didn't really bother me. It was horrible at that moment because it was so sudden, but as time went on it completely stopped bothering me.
- You once said that it was the hardest fight of your life. Can you compare your feelings when you hit him and when you fight in the octagon?
- I said he was the toughest opponent. I didn't say he almost beat me. He was just very tough because he wouldn't stop. He was on drugs, so he was just insane. I think people misinterpreted what I meant. I said he was tough, but I didn't say he was good. He just wouldn't stop.
To sum it up, I'll say I've never beaten a man so hard in my life. I was really tired during that time. I was also very tired in the fight with Volkan Oezdemir. If you compare the fatigue, it was roughly the same feeling.
- How long did you beat him for? About five minutes?
- Six and a half at full strength. That was a tough one. Most street fights last thirty seconds and people are exhausted afterward.
- How would the judges score this fight?
- I think this round would have ended in my favor with a score of 10-7 (laughs).
- What should your fans expect from the fight with Vitor Petrino?
- Fans should expect a really fun and exciting fight between two high level contenders. I think they will enjoy it.
