Clay Collard decided to take advantage of every opportunity presented before him during a tumultuous time.
Collard will begin his quest for the largest paycheck in mixed martial arts when the Professional Fighters League returns in 2021 and will also look to close out 2020 in convincing fashion inside another arena.
The dual-sport megastar seeks his sixth consecutive win as a professional boxer when he competes this Saturday for Top Rank Boxing on the ESPN+ Shakur Stevenson vs. Toka Khan Clary card.
Collard will face Quincy LaVallais in Las Vegas from The Bubble, MGM Grand Convention Center. The bout will take place at 160 pounds and is scheduled for eight rounds.
Since January, Collard has been on a roll, racking up five wins in an eight-month span, including three stoppages. He is coming off a second-round knockout over Maurice Williams, in which he showed off his incredible boxing skills in a short amount of time.
“It’s been amazing,†Collard said during a recent Q&A hosted by Fight Hub TV. “I am fighting often, fighting tough opponents and loving all of the fans and love I have been getting from them. It’s just exciting.â€
Collard has always shown his ability to adapt and thrive. He has competed in three different MMA weight classes and will focus on fighting at lightweight when the PFL’s 2021 Regular Season kicks off in a matter of months.
Collard has posted an 18-8 record inside the cage, including back-to-back victories just before signing with the PFL. He is 9-2-3 as a professional boxer.
“I want to keep dabbling in both,†Collard said. “I feel like it sets me apart from other fighters. I’m a striker, and I’m going to box regardless. (In MMA training) I am working my takedown defense and getting back up off the ground to get where I am comfortable, and that is to punch people in the face.â€
This is not the first time Collard and LaVallais have squared off. Back in 2019, they battled to a draw. The two were also scheduled to meet in October before having the rematch delayed.