Mark Hunt Responds to Dana White: 'I Have Never Turned Down a Fight'

Top 10 UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is disputing the notion that he turned down a fight with former UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos. 

Shortly after UFC President Dana White said "The Super Samoan" wouldn't fight JDS, Hunt went on Twitter to defend himself. 

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Jus so u know I don't turn fights down

— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) March 8, 2013

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Hunt then went on to say the only time he has ever declined a fight is when he was injured: 

 

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I have never turned down a fight and even wen I was injured I had to force myself not to fight your general fears no man but the almighty

— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) March 8, 2013

 

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While this makes sense given the fact that Hunt was all about a scrap with dos Santos as of Wednesday night, it begs the question: Why would White lie?

To further complicate the situation, the UFC's head honcho tweeted last night that he had a phone conversation with Hunt: 

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Mark Hunt and I just got off the phone and had a GREAT conversation!!

— Dana White (@danawhite) March 8, 2013

 

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White did not provide any further updates as of Friday morning, but there appears to be some semblance of hope that this fan-friendly heavyweight scrap will go down after all. 

The former PRIDE star became a hot topic of conversation when Alistair Overeem, who was supposed to fight dos Santos at UFC 160, withdrew from the fight due to a slight quad tear. 

The K-1 level kickboxer has currently won four straight fights, including three knockouts, while dos Santos lost the heavyweight strap to Cain Velasquez at UFC 155 in December. 

Prior to the title loss, the Brazilian had won 10 matchups in a row, scoring seven KO's along the way.

Hunt, fresh off of a stunning "Knockout of the Night" performance against Stefan Struve, could have the stand-up skills to provide a challenge for "Cigano's" superior boxing game. 

Was White using public humiliation as a negotiating tool with Hunt or did he have an opponent besides dos Santos in mind all along? 

Hopefully the UFC will make a formal announcement before the end of the day.