Anthony Smith claims Glover Teixeira ‘can’t afford to take the damage’ against Jamahal Hill
Anthony Smith believes Glover Teixeira can’t stand and trade with Jamahal Hill if he is going to win back the light heavyweight title at UFC 283.
Teixeira and Hill are set to fight for the vacant light heavyweight title in the main event of the pay-per-view card. It’s an intriguing matchup but an added wrinkle is that Hill was removed from his fight against Anthony Smith to take this fight. Not only that, but Smith has competed against Teixeira so Hill brought out Smith to train with him and ‘Lionheart’ knows Hill’s striking is to not be messed with.
“Jamahal’s a dynamite f*cking striker and Glover is a little bit aging, is a little bit slower, and can’t afford to take the damage and speed anymore,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “I think we all know what that means. He’s made his money. His bread and butter in the later half of his career has been his ability to grapple and slow people down and push them up against the fence.”
Along with that, Anthony Smith expects Glover Teixeira to try and grapple Jamahal Hill early on and wear on him. Yet, he believes if Hill can keep it standing, he is quite confident about how the fight will end.
“I don’t want to say it’s striker vs. grappler because Glover can strike – he’s got heavy hands,” Smith said. “I mean, he put me on my face one time. So I don’t think it’s that simple, but I think (if) Jamahal stays on his feet the whole time, I think we know how this fight ends. If he gets taken down and gets back to his feet, I think we know how this fight ends. I think it’s really just that basic. I think Glover has been very smart in the later part of his career. He’s done a better job of not taking damage, getting to his spots and controlling people, and Jamahal needs to not let that happen. I think it’s really that simple.”
