It appears not everyone is entirely convinced by the boxing capabilities that have propelled Ilia Topuria to championship success in the UFC.
Topuria initially claimed the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski, successfully defending it against Max Holloway during his relatively short time at 145 pounds.
At UFC 317, Topuria moved up to challenge Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title. (Islam Makhachev had vacated this belt earlier to compete at welterweight).
Delivering on his promise, Topuria knocked out Oliveira in the first round, once again demonstrating powerful and brutal boxing to finish his opponent.
Many have long considered ‘El Matador’ to be among the best boxers in the UFC, and his decisive victory at UFC 317 only seemed to strengthen this argument for a large number of fans and analysts.
However, one individual holds a differing view…
Manel Kape Declares Himself a Superior Boxer to Ilia Topuria
Flyweight contender Manel Kape is one person who does not regard Topuria as the premier boxer in the UFC.
In a post on social media platform X (which has since been deleted) made before the UFC 317 main event, Kape refused to dismiss Charles Oliveira`s chances while simultaneously downplaying claims of Topuria possessing “elite” boxing skills.
After his initial assessment drew criticism from some fans – with one commenter notably stating, “Not an elite boxer is the wildest s— I’ve ever heard in my life” – the Angolan-born Portuguese fighter doubled down on his stance.
Kape asserted his position, stating:
You can rank him (Topuria) as number 2 or 3, that’s fair. But when it comes to number 1, that’s me. No comparison, I operate on a different level about boxing for MMA & boxing. But this isn’t a conversation for fanatics, it’s one for those who truly understand the game.
Kape continued to defend his viewpoint in a subsequent post, maintaining that his evaluation was based on objective analysis rather than personal bias.
He wrote:
I’ll settle this debate about ‘the best boxer in the UFC’ with my personal ranking, no fanaticism, no favoritism, just a well-analyzed perspective.
Manel Kape`s Missed Opportunity on the UFC 317 Card
While the UFC 317 event on June 28th featured significant performances from fighters like Topuria, Alexandre Pantoja, and Joshua Van, Manel Kape was also originally scheduled to compete and potentially make a major statement.
However, Kape`s planned bout was canceled due to his opponent`s withdrawal. This cancellation occurred on the same card where Joshua Van, stepping in on short notice against Brandon Royval, delivered a performance that many believe has positioned him for a potential title shot, possibly bypassing Kape.
As a result, Kape now has a striking record of 11 fight cancellations in the UFC, exceeding his total number of actual bouts inside the Octagon, which stands at 9.
These repeated issues with fights falling through, caused by both Kape`s own withdrawals and those of his scheduled opponents, have significantly hampered his progress towards challenging for a UFC title. His path forward appears even more challenging after Van`s impressive performance at UFC 317.
