Blagoy Ivanov Eyeing Some Time Off, Then A Bout With Derrick Lewis

Blagoy Ivanov provided an upset this past weekend at UFC 238 in Chicago by beating the younger and more athletic Tai Tuivasa, and is now eyeing a future fight against knockout artist Derrick Lewis.

Ivanov came into Saturday night’s fight as the underdog against his highly-regarded opponent and out-boxed the Australian throughout the three rounds, wobbling him on a number of occasions to claim the unanimous decision victory.

Now, the No. 13-ranked heavyweight is eyeing an even bigger fish, stating that he’d like to test his skillset against the heavy-hitting Lewis (via MMAJunkie.com):

“I just want to take a break for a little bit, and then we’ll see. But I’m good to fight with Derrick Lewis. I think that’s a good fight for me. … He’s a southpaw, and I like to fight with southpaws. He’s big and he can take some punches.”

Lewis hasn’t fought since his loss against former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos who finished him by TKO in the second round at UFC Wichita back in March. Prior to that, Lewis challenged for the heavyweight belt held by Daniel Cormier, losing via second-round submission.