Top Russian heavyweight Alexander Volkov answered some questions on the eve of the fight with Derrick Lewis.
On the next steps after the fight with Lewis:
“Very difficult situation. There is Cormier, Lesnar, and the winner of the Ngannou battle, Blaydes. Thus, the winner of our fight with Lewis or the winner of the fight Ngannou and Blaydes could get a title fight. I do not want to think about when exactly I will get a title fight. If I demonstrate a good performance, they will give me the opportunity to fight the champion.
“If Lesnar returns, Cormier will fight him. If a title fight takes place at the end of this or early next year, then the next title fight will be at the end of 2019. That means I have to wait about a year if I win my next fight. After that, I’ll probably have to fight again if I don’t get a title fight. No one knows when Daniel Cormier will again defend the heavyweight title.
About the potential fight with Miocic:
“This is also a good fight for me, but it doesn’t matter. If I become a champion, I will have to meet all the dangerous heavyweights, so I can fight him before or after I get my belt. I train very hard, so I think I have what it takes to be a champion in the future.”
Do all Russians support Khabib in a fight with Conor?
“Some Russian fans support Khabib, while some will be against him. But I think that the majority of Russians will be for Khabib in a fight with Conor. After all, Khabib is a big name in Russia, so most people want him to win.”
