DREAM champ Gegard Mousasi seeks boxing world title, move to 205 pounds
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Oct 12, 2008 at 11:10 am ET
Riding an 11-fight win streak, DREAM middleweight grand prix winner
and new DREAM middleweight champ Gegard Mousasi now intends to chase
after a world title in boxing.
Mousasi shared his vision with his management company, M-1, who shared
the news in a recent press release.
"First I want to thank everybody that supported me to reach my goal of
becoming the DREAM grand prix champion," Mousasi stated. "I see this
title as the stepping stone to accomplish my real desire, and that is
to also become the world champion in boxing."
The Armenian striker believes that his management company — which
also represents WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko — has
strategic partnerships in place that will allow him to pursue a boxing
career.
"Because M-1 is nowadays cooperating with Affliction and Golden Boy
(Promotions), I think this dream can come true," he stated.
In addition to branching out into a new career, Mousasi will also look
to move up to the light-heavyweight division for future MMA contests.
"In MMA I will go up to 93 kilograms (205 pounds)," Mousasi
stated. "Not only to increase my strength, but if I fight between 85
and 93 kilograms in boxing, I have quite a wide range to test my
skills before I decide in which weight class I enter boxing
competition."
Just 23 years old, Mousasi has been victorious in 23 of his past 24
bouts.
A veteran of DREAM, PRIDE and DEEP, Mousasi defeated Denis Kang, Dong
Sik Yoon, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Melvin Manhoef to win this year’s
inaugural DREAM middleweight grand prix.
No time table was announced for Mousasi’s boxing debut.