American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez says the book on beating Ilia Topuria starts with one commandment: don’t box him.
“Stay out of boxing range, one million percent,” Mendez said on the Know Time YouTube channel. “He’s got the best boxing in the business, in MMA… His boxing is real good. Real good.”
Why Mendez Is So High on Topuria
Topuria’s rise has been fueled by ruthless shot selection and airtight defense. Over the last two years, the Georgian-Spanish star knocked out Max Holloway in his first (and only) featherweight title defense, then stopped Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant lightweight crown becoming the first undefeated fighter to win UFC titles in multiple divisions. That résumé, Mendez argues, validates Topuria’s swagger.
“He even thinks he can beat Terence Crawford. That’s how confident he is in his boxing,” Mendez said. “And I get it.”
The Game Plan to Beat Him
Mendez believes the path runs through everything but pocket exchanges.
Kick-first approach: “You’d need to work your kicks, angles… Knees. Muay Thai would be a good specialty.”
Manage distance: “Your big task is to keep him away from you.”
Test the grappling: While Topuria is “decent” in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, Mendez says opponents should stress his ground game and see if their grappling can win minutes.
“He’s almost the complete package, but he’s not. He lacks the kicking area,” Mendez noted. “We’ve yet to see how great his grappling is… It’s not great, but we’ve yet to see how good it really is.”
The Superfight Everyone Wants
Before moving up to lightweight, Topuria angled for a clash with Islam Makhachev, Mendez’s longtime pupil. The timing didn’t align Makhachev also moved up in search of a second belt but the Topuria vs. Makhachev superfight remains near the top of fans’ wish lists. If it ever happens, expect AKA to lean on the same blueprint: kicks, angles, clinch knees, and grappling pressure anything to keep Topuria out of his preferred boxing range.
What’s Next
Topuria hasn’t fought since winning the lightweight title at UFC 317 in July, with rumors pointing to a first defense early next year. Meanwhile, Makhachev chases history of his own, challenging for the welterweight title at UFC 322 next month.
In Mendez’s eyes, Topuria’s hands are unrivaled in MMA. If you trade jabs with him, you’re already losing so kick him, clinch him, and drag him into a fight where his boxing can’t breathe.