When Melvin Manhoef steps into the cage at Bellator 251 on Thursday against Corey Anderson, he’ll be facing an opponent 13 years younger than himself.
That has led to a number of doubters speaking up, proclaiming the Manhoef (32-14-1, 2NC) to be too old. A gift horse for promotional newcomer Anderson. Nevermind his two-fight win streak.
The Dutch striker has tuned the naysayers out, however. “For me, it’s like a test. I know I can do it. People don’t think so, but I think I can. And my team,” Mahoef said during the Bellator 251 media day this week. “It’s a massive fight, and I want to shock the world.”
It’s not necessarily about proving people wrong, mind you. Manhoef told Cageside Press that he doesn’t need to do that. “Of course I want to do that, but it’s only for myself, and my team. We work hard for this,” he explained. And beyond that, as Manhoef pointed out, it’s unreasonable to think that he’d “train my ass off, then take a plane, come to America,” all with the mindset that he was going to lose the fight. “Come on guys. I believe in myself. This is the fight game, it’s a game that’s going to hurt. And I’m not the guy who’s willing to be hurting, so I’m going to do everything in my power to win this fight.”
That will come by doing what he does best, knocking people out, he said. But Manhoef will also settle for a decision, if it comes to it.
Manhoef recently agreed to two more fights for Bellator, with the idea being that the promotion would head to Holland for his farewell fight. Of course the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench in the works. But he’s planning to stick to his retirement schedule, such as it is. “I’m going to do this fight, win or lose, I’m going to do the last fight, in Europe, I hope in Holland, and this is going to be my last fight.”
With luck, that final fight will be for a title. “When I win this fight, and I can be a title contender, of course I’m going to do it,” Manhoef said when asked about fighting for the light heavyweight championship, currently held by Vadim Nemkov.
“I’m going to do it for 100% of course. But first I have to do this fight, and Thursday, we’ll know the answer,” reiterated Manhoef. “And if the opportunity comes that I can do it [fight for the title], I’m going to do it.”
Watch the full Bellator 251 virtual media day press scrum with Melvin Manhoef above. The event takes place this Thursday, November 4 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs live on CBS Sports Network.
