Strikeforce lightweight number one contender, Pat Healy spoke to mmaweekly.com about his title fight with Gilbert Melendez which was due to happen this Saturday night in Sacramento, California, prior to a Melendez injury cancelling the fight and the event itself, explaining he’d opt to wait for a shot at the belt if at all possible.
“If it would have happened a month ago, it would have been so much easier to swallow. It’s like I was already packing my bags. I was already on my way to Sacramento. I felt like this was my moment. The shot I’ve worked so hard for and then for it to just be gone the week of the fight. It’s taxing.
He (Melendez) said (he’d be back in) five weeks. So if his rehab goes like that and he’s only out five weeks, it would probably take him another six, seven, eight weeks to get ready; I’d definitely wait for that. The title shot’s a big thing. Then again, if they came to me with a fight, I’d have a hard time turning it down.
I don’t really picture myself turning down a fight. Especially if it was like an interim title or something like that, while Gil was out. I don’t really like interim titles, but in my situation, if I could have some guarantees that if I fought again I’d get a guaranteed title shot that would be even more appealing.”
Healy has earned his shot at the title with his fifth consecutive win under the Strikeforce banner and going 8-1 in his last nine fights. He most recently fought in July, where he picked up a unanimous decision win over Japanese import, Mizuot Hirota.
Loading ...
