“Next Anderson Silva” – Sean O’Malley makes this BOLD CLAIM about his boxing ability after beating Petr Yan
Follow Us
Sean O'Malley
Sean O’Malley is riding high after a close win over fellow bantamweight Petr Yan. A gamble that paid off has seen O’Malley reach the #1 spot on the rankings.
Jumping 10 spots in the rankings with a single win is no easy feat – but, some could argue that the American was bound to leapfrog many of his fellow bantamweights at some point. With the win over Yan, O’Malley can finally say that ‘he belongs’ – or simply, that he is an elite bantamweight.
Going into the fight, analysts had warned “Sugar” to be wary of Petr Yan’s elite boxing. Not only did O’Malley match that aspect of the Russian’s game, but he also held his own on the feet, rocking the Russian while being rocked himself.
Now, on the Impaulsive podcast, he has had his say on his boxing skills. He said, “I’m the best striker in the world. I’ve been saying that since the ‘Contender Series,’ when I wasn’t really, but now [I am]. I beat Petr Yan, I’m the best boxer in the UFC.”
He continued, “I think I’m just realizing my potential now at this point… I can become the next Anderson Silva.”
Related- “This division sucks” – Sean O’Malley’s huge jump in bantamweight rankings leaves the fans annoyed
Sean O’Malley can stake his claim as the greatest bantamweight in the world soon
Sean O’Malley is the Number 1 ranked bantamweight in the world – what that means is that he’s just one step away from being the 135 pound champion. However, that is not to say that his next fight will be a title fight.
With Aljamain Sterling at the helm right now, it is expected for either Marlon Vera or Henry Cejudo to get the title shot next – a case for either can be made successfully. Speaking of Vera, the Ecuadorian has fought top-ranked opposition in the last couple of years, and he also defeated one of the greatest bantamweights, Dominick Cruz. Meanwhile, Henry Cejudo is a former two-division champion, and as such, his credentials can help him earn a title shot.
However, this is not disappointing news for O’Malley. The American has a plethora of options in front of him right now. In any case, at best, he is one fight away from the title. If Cejudo does get booked to fight Sterling, then it is quite likely that we will see a rematch of the first O’Malley-Vera fight.
If Sean O’Malley plays his cards right and beats opposition the way he beat Petr Yan, he could be on track to become one of the standout champions in bantamweight history.
Stay Updated!
Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)