Daily Star

Holloway still really in two it

- UFC with CHISANGA MALATA

MAX HOLLOWAY remains keen to become a twoweight champion ahead of his latest featherwei­ght title defence.

The Hawaiian returns to the octagon on Sunday in the co-main event of UFC 245 in Las Vegas to defend his 145lb crown against Alexander Volkanovsk­i (inset).

His showdown with the Aussie will be his second outing back in the featherwei­ght division since his unsuccessf­ul bid to claim the interim lightweigh­t title in April.

‘Blessed’ is adamant that defeat to Dustin Poirier in his 155lb debut hasn’t dampened his desire to win a second world title, saying: “I want to be the best mixed martial artist in the world.

“And being the best mixed martial artist in the world is not a guy who stays in his weight and dominates his weight – it is someone who goes to whatever weight.

“I’ve got a couple of belts I want to fight for.

“The lightweigh­t title, of course. You’ve got Khabib

Nurmagomed­ov because he’s one of the best guys in the world.”

Fans’ favourite Holloway has also set his sights on becoming the first fighter in UFC history to hold three titles simultaneo­usly.

He said: “Nobody has gotten three at one time.

“I just turned 28. I can see myself even getting to 185lbs and being healthy and getting strong there.” Despite having ambitions of holding multiple belts, Holloway is refusing to look past Volkanovsk­i, who has won his last 17 fights.

“First thing first is Alex,” he added. “If the opportunit­y presents itself, I’m not backing down from it. I want to be one of the greatest in this era.

“As long as I’m alive and as long as I fight, whenever I’m fighting I want people to talk about, ‘Oh man, he’s one of the greatest of his time’. That’s what I want to do.”

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PUNCHY: Max Holloway attacks Frankie Edgar this year
■ PUNCHY: Max Holloway attacks Frankie Edgar this year

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