WATCH: Before conquering kickboxing and the UFC, Alex Pereira laid out fighters in the boxing ring
The UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira used to be an amateur boxer before starting his legendary kickboxing career.
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Alex Pereira showcases his double belts from UFC and GLORY (via X)
Alex Pereira has had a remarkable career in the UFC and has become a two-division UFC champion in just 11 fights. The story of Alex Pereira’s rise to the pinnacle of MMA is one of perseverance, redemption, and ultimate domination. After struggling with alcoholism in his youth, Pereira found his true calling in kickboxing to battle his addiction. Subsequently, he eventually became a two-time Glory champion and has a kickboxing record of 33-7 with 21 KOs.
Pereira was an accomplished and well-known kickboxer before he transitioned into MMA. However, many people do not know that Pereira first started amateur boxing before he focused on kickboxing. Alex Pereira was reportedly only 21–22 years old at the time and still worked at a tire store. Furthermore, there are several clips of the champion wearing headgear and fighting in amateur boxing matches in his youth.
Pereira’s amateur boxing career was nothing short of extraordinary. He quickly rose through the ranks, displaying an impressive combination of precision, power, and agility. Furthermore, Pereira’s punches were lightning-fast, and his footwork was unmatched. Pereira’s hard work and determination paid off, as he won several national championships and represented Brazil in international competitions.
In addition, his success as an amateur boxer caught the attention of scouts and promoters worldwide, leading to exciting opportunities on the professional stage. Hence, Pereira soon enough transitioned to professional kickboxing before switching to professional MMA.
Alex Perira’s kickboxing losses
Pereira is a two-time Glory kickboxing champion and the first ever in the promotion’s history. However, despite his elite striking skills, Pereira was not an unbeaten fighter. The first time he lost was in 2012, when, according to Pereira, he didn’t take kickboxing seriously.
Furthermore, he lost to Dutch sensation and soon-to-be Glory middleweight champ Jason Wilnis. Subsequently, Pereira went on to win three bouts in a row, beginning with a unanimous decision over César Almeida. In the rematch against Almeida, Pereira also suffered his second kickboxing loss by decision. After building up a three-fight winning streak, he was defeated again, this time by the future Glory middleweight champ Artem Levin, by a unanimous decision.
Pereira then went on to string together two consecutive wins before facing Wilnis for the second time, again losing by unanimous decision. Across his professional kickboxing career, Pereira won 33 bouts, 21 via KO, and lost seven matches.
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Nidhin Shibu
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