LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Maxx Crosby is the unquestioned leader of the Raiders defense and the tone-setter for the entire team due to his talent, energy, and tireless work ethic.
Family and football are life to Crosby, but as we’ve come to learn over the years, he also has a major crush on combat sports.
“I box every single day after practice,” explained Crosby. “During training camp, I’ve boxed every single day. It’s an everyday part of my routine; hand speed, technique, understanding distance, all those things are super important. It’s a direct translation to pass rush and D-line play. I walk around the building, and everywhere I turn I’m using my hands and I’m throwing punches, that’s just who I am, I really love and am intrigued by boxing, especially and that’s something I feel has continued to help me ascend as a player.”
When he’s not playing on Sundays, Crosby can be seen at the UFC Apex or T-Mobile Arena, taking in the biggest fights. In recent years, during the offseason, the “Condor” has even stepped into the cage himself.
“Last year I sparred (Sean) Strickland, and this year I went against Dominick Cuz, he was a champion for about 10 years, smaller guy, but he’s got incredible footwork and one of the best defensive fighters in the UFC. For me it was just a different type of challenge, a guy with that type of speed, test myself in a different way. We got after it, definitely cracking, but I love doing stuff like that because just as a parent my dad never forced me to – you’re only playing football – he let me play any sport, my parents were like that.”
John Wood owns Syndicate MMA here in Las Vegas and is one of the most renowned and well-regarded MMA coaches in the world. He has seen first-hand the type of talent Crosby possesses in the octagon.
“He’s been in here a few times, come in, hung out, met the crew, took pictures, and watched,” said Wood. “See him at all the events and the guy is just a savage. Truly believe if he ever wanted to take a crack at doing MMA, no doubt he could do it. He’s got the mindset, he’s got the athletic ability, obviously the size, just a super cool dude. When he does retire, I guarantee you we will see him in a cage somewhere. He could do it, he could do it right now. You could train that guy for a year and he could be an absolute terror in the heavyweight division in the UFC, for sure.”
Listed at 6′5″ 225 pounds, many believe Crosby could not only have a future in MMA, but in the boxing world as well. The Raiders defensive end has spent time training with Michael Hunter II, the no. 3 ranked WBA Heavyweight in the world.
“There is a difference between a fighter and an athlete,” explains Hunter. “A lot of fighters are not athletes or are not athletic, they might be slightly athletic or athletic ability, but they’re not athletes by any means and vice versa. A lot of athletes that were football players, doing amazing things, you can tell they don’t really have that fighting spirit; you have to have a little bit of grit, a little bit of roughness, rough around the edges and definitely he has that.”
“He’s one of the best heavyweight boxers in the world right now, him and I spar all the time, that’s another guy, I have to give a bunch of credit to him, we get after it too,” smiled Crosby. “I feel like it’s super important, it works your reflexes, your timing, your everything, just makes you better overall as an athlete.”
“It’s his aggressiveness, his will to win,” said Hunter. “If he could put himself in a decent ten-week camp he could definitely have a professional fight. Absolutely.”
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