Derrick Lewis is set for a high-profile showdown with Josh Hokit on the White House lawn next Sunday, June 14, in a heavyweight bout under the UFC banner.
Lewis, who holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history, enters the matchup as a +300 underdog, while betting odds list Hokit as a -400 favorite. Hokit is described as a surging up-and-comer, adding intrigue to the clash.
In the lead-up, Lewis has been candid about issues that affected his January loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta, pointing to long-standing physical problems and extreme weight swings. “But one of my downfalls I have for my whole career is I’ll mess my back, I’ve been having back issues,” Lewis said.
He detailed how his last cut and rebound went wrong: “I believe they really got it dialed down now because the last fight, I had cut a lot of weight. I didn’t really walk around where I usually fight at. Like, it’s supposed to be 265 [pounds]. So right after I made weight, I gained, I went all the way back up to 296.”
Lewis, 41, has a history of back issues throughout his career and stated that rapid post-weigh-in weight gain has contributed to him pulling out of fights on the day of the event. With adjustments in place, he now turns his focus to Hokit on June 14.
