Stipe Miocic: Focus is on Ngannou

BOSTON » Stipe Miocic always feels anxious and nervous before his fights, and on the surface this one has the feel of the biggest of all.

Not quite, said the UFC heavyweight champion Jan. 18 during UFC 220 media day at Fenway Park. The nerves and anxiety will still be there, but they won’t be greater than usual — even with a chance at history on the line. Miocic said his only focus is the man who will be in front of him Jan. 20 inside the octagon at Boston’s TD Garden.

Even though he can’t shake the talk of — with a win — becoming the first heavyweight in the 25year history of the UFC to defend the belt three consecutive times, Miocic isn’t trying to sway the narrative leading into the main event. He’s avoiding it completely.

“Yeah, just don’t care. Honestly, I don’t care about it,” said Miocic (17-2), who has won his first two title defenses with first-round knockouts.

“As a fighter, I’m different, and I’m going to show that on Saturday night.” – Francis Ngannou, challenger for Miocic’s heavyweight championship

“I’m going to win ... yes. I’m going to break the record ... yes. But all I care about is Francis on the 20th.”

Francis as in Francis Ngannou, the No. 1 heavyweight contender who’s 11-1 and the talk of the UFC since his brutal knockout of Alistair Overeem Dec. 2 in Detroit. That victory parlayed into a title shot for Ngannou, who jumped at the chance to fight Miocic on

less than two months notice.

The 31-year-old enters the fight full of confidence and swagger. After defeating Overeem, Ngannou declared Miocic the “interim” champion who was holding the belt for him. That comment was in early December. On Jan. 18, there was no trash talk between the two fighters who sat about 15 feet apart from each other while fielding questions from reporters.

Ngannou even had a few nice things to say about the champ before assuring he was the one to watch in the main event of UFC 220.

“Stipe’s a smart fighter. He’s a good guy,” said Ngannou. “But as a fighter, I’m different, and I’m going to show that on Saturday night.”

Miocic’s coach Marcus Marinelli said his fighter, who enters on an eightmonth layoff, will step into the octagon in top shape — physically and mentally. The latter might be as important, if not more, than the former. That’s because the chatter of the record, plus the ensuing discussion of Miocic as the best heavyweight of all-time (should he win), is impossible to ignore in the social media age.

“(Stipe) and I are of the same mindset: We’ll look at the (record) after we beat him,” said Marinelli. “You have to focus on one thing. You’re not going to get there if you’re focused on (the record). The task at hand is the only thing that matters.”

The task at hand will likely involve taking Ngannou’s best shot early. The challenger has never fought past the second round, and would love to end things early. He recently predicted a knockout of Miocic within two rounds, to which the champion said:

“Yeah definitely. He’s

gonna try to take my head off.”

Marinelli said if it comes to that, he and the coaching staff have a plan for that and more.

“We’re definitely not going to play into his game,” he said. “We have our plan we’ll put in motion. The goal is to have him play our game. That gets you closer to ensuring victory. If it goes longer (than the first two rounds), we feel we’re prepared, and more prepared. If it goes the distance, we have plans for the second, third, fourth, fifth rounds. Confidence comes from doing the work in the gym, and going through hell in there. Stipe’s prepared.”

Miocic is also prepared for what will come with a victory Jan. 20. It’s inevitable, he said. Miocic then shrugged his shoulders.

“A lot of people will think, ‘Yes, (he’s the greatest)’ ” said Miocic. “A lot of people will think, ‘No.’ That’s their opinion. I’m not going to try to change people’s opinion about myself.”

As for his coach. There’s no need for convincing.

“I think he’s the best of all time already,” said Marinelli.