Hunt eyes return to octagon in 2017
MARK Hunt may be cheering on Joseph Parker from ringside at Vector Arena but the MMAstar is hopeful of resuming his own fighting career in 2017.
The Kiwi heavyweight has been on a self-imposed exile from the octagon since it emerged that Brock Lesnar failed a drug test in the lead-up to their bout in at UFC 200 in July.
It was the third time Hunt has fought an opponent who was found to be doping and so enraged was the ‘Super Samoan’ that, in the weeks following the Lesnar revelations, he admitted he may never compete in the UFC again despite having five fights remaining on his contract.
Hunt has since turned down two fights, against Josh Barnett and Junior dos Santos, and has engaged a US-based law firm to pressure the UFC into taking a tougher stance on drug cheats.
Discussions with officials from the promotion are ongoing but, in a promising sign, the 42-year-old appears much more open about a return.
‘‘We’re trying to get a clause in my contract and hopefully I can get back to work next year,’’ Hunt said. ‘‘I’ve already turned down a couple of fights [but] I’m just working on the next one to see if we can come to a resolution.’’
Hunt wants a change to the fight agreements for winnings, so that if a fighter fails a drug test the total purse is awarded to the non-doping party.
The UFC was recently sold for US$4.2 billion (NZ$5.9 billion) to WME-IMG, who have brought in a number of high-profile investors including Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone and the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus.
And Hunt is hopeful they will be receptive to his ideas.
‘‘I’ll be back next year somewhere and now that they’ve (UFC) got new owners that are celebrities, entertainers, they should understand what I’ve been talking about, making an even playing field with all these cheaters running around so we’ll see what happens.’’
The Sydney-based slugger is among the VIP guests attending Parker’s shot at the WBO heavyweight crown against Mexico’s Andy Ruiz on Saturday.
Hunt has watched several of Parker’s fights in person and is a big fan of the 24-year-old.
‘‘I like his humility, I like the GETTY IMAGES way he carries himself. He’s going to be a great world champion.’’
A former K-1 kickboxing world champion who also challenged for titles in both Pride and the UFC in MMA, Hunt knows all about fighting on the big stage.
All the expectation is on Parker to deliver on home soil but Hunt cannot see him being overwhelmed by the occasion.
‘‘The top-end guys like that pressure, they like to be the guy that’s going for it,’’ he said.
‘‘Self-belief is one of the main things you have to have as a fighter regardless of your skill level or skill-set.
‘‘I know he’s got what it takes to fight and be the champion, there’s no doubt in my mind.’’
Hunt is famous for his walk-off knockouts and asked about the prospect of a similarly spectacular finish on Saturday, he said: ‘‘It might be a fast fight but I think it might go between five and eight rounds. This guy is pretty resilient but who knows?
‘‘When you throw hundreds and thousands of punches like Joe can deliver I don’t think anyone can stand up to that.’’ GETTY IMAGES watching brief on that process, but say they’re disappointed in him being out so late so close to a game and also his subsequent communication with them.
Henare admitted it had not been an automatic return for last season’s leading scorer and he had needed to discuss his Tall Blacks guard’s mindset before he could be sure he would contribute positively to an important game for the Breakers.
‘‘I had a good chat with Corey [on Thursday], and wanted to put the ball in his court, so to speak, and see if Corey could come to me confidently and say ‘yep, I can be there, ‘‘ Henare said .
‘‘That’s part of the reason why he wasn’t here [for the Hawks game]. He didn’t want to be a distraction with everything that’s gone on this week. He said I want to be with the team, go play and help the team. I trust he’s doing the right thing by the team.’’
Friday’s defeat puts the Breakers at 6-7 and into the wrong half of the table.
A further loss against an improving 5-7 Melbourne outfit that has Chris Goulding back, and firing, and a replacement import who has already assumed hero status at Hisense would accelerate the freefall.
‘ He’s [Parker] going to be a great world champion’