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30/09/09 - Vitor: "I have agreed to fight, its up to Anderson now"
Vitor Belfort says that a fight with Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt is only prospective at this stage. He has agreed to it verbally but does not know if Anderson has.
"There's nothing confirmed yet. There is a verbal agreement on my part. Now it has to do with the champion, Anderson. It is the champion who is in charge, I am scum," he laughed to Terra.com.br this week.
Belfort said that the fight - which was widely reported as definite - was only put to him in the locker room after he clashed with Rich Franklin at UFC 103. He has not spoken to UFC president Dana White since.
"In the locker room after my last fight he said: ‘Look, I want you to fight and everyone wants you to fight for the belt.’ I said: "Dana, that’s cool. What you ask me is guaranteed. What the fans want me to do, I do. I just got [back] here [in the UFC], though I already have a history. You're the boss.’"
Belfort added, “If Dana White said it, so it is spoken. I cannot oppose him, I am under contract. This fight is something natural. It has nothing personal against Anderson, to me there it is work, that‘s all there is to it.”
Heading off any rumours that he is calling the champion out before they start, Belfort says, “Dana really wants to do this fight, he has said that. He decides who I fight. I do not have to run looking for anything. I seek to do my job and not to go get some personal feud.
“Now we have to wait to see if the fight goes. I'm hoping the same as you are,” he laughed.
Belfort’s return to the UFC came after a lengthy absence. He first fought in the organisation as a 19 year-old, earning legions of fans with his lighting-fast, heavy hands. Among his first round victims were Wanderlei Silva and Tank Abbot, who was then a major name in the UFC.
More recently Belfort, who has fought at heavyweight and light-heavyweight, was fighting for Affliction. His knockout of Matt Lindland at Affliction 2 alerted fans to a return to old form, and when the organisation went under he returned to the UFC fold.
The Brazilian Ninja
FO Staff Brasil
Thebrazilianninja@gmail.com
Please note: While the original interview was conducted by Terra.com.br the translation was produced by Fighters Only Ltd and as such is subject to copyright. Media are asked to credit both Terra.com.br as the original source and Fighters Only for any extract from this English translation that is used. Thank you.
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