Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit meet inside the octagon at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday, November 14, with the main card scheduled to get underway at 9 p.m. local time, or 3 a.m. Paris time on Sunday, November 15.
The heavyweight title clash has already ignited outside the cage through a series of verbal jabs, Ouest-France reported. Hokit revealed to RMC Sport that he has spent eight grueling weeks sharpening his tactics for the matchup.
“Il mesure 1,93 m, he has long arms, he is agile, fast,” Hokit told RMC Sport.
The American challenger stands 1.85 meters tall and acknowledges his athletic disadvantages against the French champion. His game plan relies on turning the bout into a grind.
“Moi je ne fais que 1,85 m, I am shorter than him. Everyone in the world knows what the path to victory is for me: it is to spoil the fight. When we start to wrestle, to mix it up, weight won’t matter anymore,” Hokit told RMC Sport.
Gane Dismisses Mental Coach Criticism
Gane shrugged off the challenger’s remarks with absolute calm during a separate interview with Ouest-France. The French heavyweight champion said that external noise holds no power over his preparation.
Former UFC champ sees one major roadblock for Josh Hokit against Ciryl Gane #UFC334 https://t.co/po0xzsusbb
“Ça fait bien longtemps que je suis préparé pour ce genre de situations,” Gane told Ouest-France.
The Vendée native explained that fiery opponents attempting to enter his head is nothing new, though he insisted such tactics rarely succeed against him. Working closely with his sparring partners in the gym, Gane views the stylistic clash as a matter of pure adaptation.
Hokit, who enters the showdown undefeated this season, remains steadfast in his approach. He argued that Gane will attempt to move and dance around the cage, but promised to close the distance.
“Ciryl Gane will want to move and dance around me, but I’ll find a way to get my hands on him one way or another. Whether it’s in striking or wrestling, I’m going to get there. And when I get there, it won’t be pretty,” Hokit told RMC Sport.
Hokit Views Trash Talk as Business and Mental Coaching as Weakness
Despite the sharp verbal exchanges, the American contender admitted that his trash talk serves primarily as entertainment business. He said that shouting during press conferences and playing the villain comes with the territory.
Hokit also took aim at Gane’s decision to employ a mental coach, framing the support system as a sign of competitive vulnerability.
“Il a besoin de quelqu’un pour le convaincre qu’il est fort, qu’il est assez bon. I don’t believe in all that, I believe in God. I don’t need a mental coach. When he says that, it’s weakness,” Hokit told RMC Sport.
“Quand je l’aurai battu, I think he’s going to retire, because he doesn’t love this sport enough. It will be like a dagger in his heart. He will never recover from it,” Hokit told RMC Sport.
Gane Relies on Experience and Awaits His Next Fight
Gane remained unbothered by the heavy words, noting that he initially prepared to face English interim titleholder Tom Aspinall before an eye injury derailed those plans. Drawing on his years at the elite level, the Frenchman emphasized the value of veteran poise.
“L’expérience t’apporte des choses dans la vie que tu ne peux pas voir si tu ne les as pas vécues. It’s as simple as that,” Gane told Ouest-France.
Addressing rumors regarding his activity level, Gane made it clear that he and his team are ready to step into the cage whenever the promotion calls.
“There were rumors saying ‘Ciryl doesn’t want to fight’ or ‘Ciryl is refusing.’ But us, if you give us a fight every three months, we’re there,” Gane told Ouest-France.
The two heavyweights will settle their differences in the octagon during the night of Saturday, November 14, to Sunday, November 15, at Madison Square Garden.
