Heavyweight competitor Walt Harris is preparing to fight Mark Godbeer on the preliminary card of this weekend’s UFC 216 card.
Harris spent some time training with WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder and the UFC fighter says the boxing champion hits hard.
“That’s my guy. Shout out to D. Shout out to coach Jay down at Skyy Boxing, and all the guys down there. D actually has a big fight coming up in November, and anytime he has a lefty, he gives me a call. I go down there and give him some work and get some pointers. I feel like when I spar him and then I go fight an MMA fight afterwards, my confidence is just through the roof, man. That dude is a world class boxer with punching power; he’d probably knock a horse out. If I can go in there and get some rounds in and hold my own, I feel like in the UFC, it’s nothing. Man. Wooo. The hardest I’ve ever been hit, easily. Easily, the hardest puncher ever. It’s just the way he punches, his leverage, his technical ability, and then he’s 6’8” so he’s punching down. Not to mention, he’s fast and athletic. It’s not like he’s punching, just brawling; he’s setting it up. He’s using different skills and techniques to get to what he wants, and I feel like that ups my game. It makes me more aware of what I’m doing and what I need to get better at, and gives me an extra boost of confidence when I step in the cage,” Harris said to Bloody Elbow.
Despite training with the boxing champion, the UFC heavyweight hasn’t expressed any plans on becoming a pro boxer.
Assuming that he gets past Godbeer on Saturday Night, the heavyweight star wouldn’t mind fighting a ranked opponent in his next Octagon appearance.
“After this fight, I’m looking to get a Top-10/Top-15 guy. I want to try and, God willing, get out of there with no injuries, and get right back in there in December. I set a goal to fight 4 times this year, and I’m almost at that goal. I believe I can accomplish that by going in there and putting him away quick, turning around in December, and jumping right back into the fold,” says Harris.
UFC 216 takes place on Saturday, October 7 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
