DALLAS – [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] loves a knockout, but he hopes to punish [autotag]Chris Avila[/autotag] throughout the fight.
Stephens meets Avila in an eight-round bout at 168 pounds on the card headlined by Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz on Saturday in Dallas.
“I’m just looking to beat this motherf*cker’s ass all rounds,” Stephens said during Wednesday’s open workout scrum. “I don’t want the knockout. I want to beat him up.”
Stephens, who made his boxing debut in a majority draw vs. fellow UFC alum Jose Aldo in April, isn’t sure if boxing is the direction he’ll continue to go, but is enjoying the journey.
“I’m having a lot of fun right now. I’m enjoying it,” Stephens said. “This is an opportunity on the table for me and my family. I’m a diverse fighter. I can fight martial arts, I can fight Jeet Kune Do, boxing, you name it. I’m a prize fighter. I’m just in love with this process of boxing, and the pay, the excitement, the big eyes.
“I manifested this after I fought Aldo. I was like, ‘Man, if Jake Paul or Diaz drops out, I’m going to be that guy calling every – I don’t even know who the f*ck to call, but I’m going to be calling somebody to put me on that card.’ So, I manifested this, and here I am.”
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For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Diaz.