Heavyweight champion shares advice for Alex Pereira ahead of his title fight

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Alex Pereira is preparing to move up to the heavyweight division as he gets ready for his interim title fight.

Adding size shouldn’t be a problem for Pereira, who was already one of the larger fighters at light heavyweight and previously held the UFC middleweight title.

However, Pereira has recently said that before even starting his training camp, he’s found it tough for his body to adjust. He’s also been dealing with a hand injury that may require surgery, adding another layer of difficulty to his preparation.

The heavyweight division is known for its unpredictability, making it tough for any champion to hold onto the belt for long. But there are always exceptions in sport, and one of them has some words of advice for ‘Poatan’.

Phil De Fries says Alex Pereira must put on weight and keep it to succeed as a UFC heavyweight

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

During a chat with Bloody Elbow, Phil De Fries was asked what bit of advice he’d give Alex Pereira ahead of his first fight in the division.

The KSW heavyweight champion is gearing up for his 14th title defense against Marcin Wojcik at KSW 117 on April 18.

De Fries, who spent time in the UFC and hasn’t lost a fight in nine years, believes there’s no way around it: you need size to compete in this weight class.

“It’s just size, you know, if you can get the mass on and you’ve got the height and the build,” he said.

He added that “You’ll generally find the smaller you get, the more talented people are,” which has led him to question why other heavyweights would want to drop down.

“I think if a light heavyweight can come up, keep the mass, keep in good shape, and Pereira’s massive isn’t he? He’s bloody massive anyway,” De Fries continued. “I think he’s like 250 (pounds) now and he doesn’t look that fat so I think he’ll do just fine.”

Phil De Fries shares his thoughts on Alex Pereira’s debut matchup against Ciryl Gane

Alex Pereira had been aiming to face Jon Jones at the White House on June 14.

But with the UFC unable to finalise a deal for Jones’ return, Pereira will now take on Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title instead.

And similar to Alistair Overeem’s view, Phil De Fries thinks Pereira’s move up in weight will be helped by the opponent he’ll be facing.

“I would favor Pereira. Gane might try and take him down but in a striking match, Pereira is fantastic… I don’t think it’s going to be hard work against a guy who can’t take him down.”

Read more:

• Heavyweight challenge? Alex Pereira calls it “a bit difficult” and keeps cool
• UFC Winnipeg bout back on the cards as contender steps up on a day’s notice
• Michael Bisping slams fans calling Alex Pereira ‘fat’ ahead of Ciryl Gane bout