
via Getty
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 13: Max Holloway stands in his corner between rounds against Dustin Poirier in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

via Getty
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 13: Max Holloway stands in his corner between rounds against Dustin Poirier in their interim lightweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway put on a show when he fought Calvin Kattar in the first UFC card of 2021 last month. Holloway put on a clinic on ‘The Boston Finisher’ for full five rounds and won via a lopsided unanimous decision. His boxing skills were on full display in that fight, even though he claimed he didn’t spar for that fight.
Holloway claimed both during and after the fight, that he was the best boxer in the UFC. Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier fought later that month and both fighters claimed that they are better boxers than Holloway as they have victories over him. But in a recent interview, ‘Blessed’ expressed why he is actually better than both of them.
“I mean, if we talk about best boxer you know I’m the best boxer in UFC, baby!
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“You know, I guess, so Teddy Atlas said it best. You know, a lot of people keep saying oh to power this and that. But boxing is not about power. And I mean, like, like, this is Teddy Atlas is saying like boxing is about angles and IQ and setups and there’s so much more things,” said Holloway.
“You know, a lot of people keep saying that ‘you can’t be the best boxer, you have no power’. I’m like, ‘I don’t know, the best boxer in the world is a guy who’s a power puncher’.
“You know, like, Floyd is considered one of the best boxers in the world, right? He got knockouts, but he’s not power puncher. It’s all about centers about it’s all hitting his own angles about this and that it’s about IQ. So I might be biased, but I don’t care. If someone shows otherwise,” he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Is Max Holloway the best boxer in the UFC?
When it comes to the ability and technical side of boxing, Holloway is certainly up there with the very bests in the UFC. He is not a power puncher or one-shot knockout artist. His style is based on the ability to slip shots and counter with accurate timing. The Hawaiian mostly depends on volume to overwhelm his opponents.

via Imago
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 17: (R-L) Max Holloway punches Calvin Kattar in a featherweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 17, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
But there are other fighters who will claim their superiority as boxers as well. Conor McGregor obviously fought Floyd Mayweather and is most certainly one of the best boxers in the UFC. Dustin Poirier has solid technique too. Jorge Masvidal is an exceptional boxer as well. Nate Diaz comes into the conversation obviously. So, it’s tough to single out only one as the best. But Holloway ranks among the very best no doubt.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
What did you make of Max Holloway‘s claims? Let us know.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT