​Alex Pereira has decided to stay at heavyweight and will face Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round co-main event at UFC 335. The fight could have major implications for the heavyweight title picture.Ciryl Gane is scheduled to defend his undisputed heavyweight championship against Josh Hokit at UFC 334, just a month before Pereira and Pavlovich step inside the Octagon.For Pereira, this is another chance to prove he belongs among the heavyweights and keep his dream of becoming the UFC’s first three-division champion alive. However, with the Brazilian now 39, fans are also wondering what comes next if he manages to win a third world title.Will he retire on top or stick around for a few title defenses? Others might hope to see Pereira test himself in boxing and cash in on some massive paydays. Unfortunately for those fans, the Brazilian has seemingly shut the door on that possibility.Alex Pereira Rules Out Boxing Move With Seven Fights Remaining on UFC ContractIn a recent interview with Fred Talks Fighting, the former two-division champion was asked whether fans would ever see him compete in a boxing ring. He responded in Portuguese, “Well, we have seven fights left on [my] UFC contract. I’m 39; it’s kind of impossible. But [I’m] happy to be here with [Plinio].”For those unfamiliar, Plinio Cruz is Pereira’s coach, who is set to compete against Gary Olive for the Misfits Boxing heavyweight title at the Copper Box Arena in London.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fred Talks Fighting (@fred_talks_fighting)ALSO READ:Petr Yan Wants to Move Up to 145lbs for Double-Champ Glory but Has One Major ConditionAs for Pereira’s new UFC deal, the Brazilian signed an eight-fight contract ahead of his interim heavyweight title bout against Ciryl Gane at the White House.Pereira has spoken positively about the new deal, and the opportunity to chase a third world title reportedly made it easier for him to vacate the light heavyweight championship he had reclaimed at UFC 320.Although he has not disclosed the financial details, Pereira appears happy with the terms. And if he is already ruling out a move to boxing, it is fair to wonder whether his UFC contract offers enough financial incentive to keep him from pursuing those lucrative crossover fights.Interestingly, Pereira had a very different outlook last year. During an appearance on the Connect Cast, he said he was “definitely going to box” because he liked the idea of challenging himself under a different set of rules.In February 2025, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk also expressed interest in facing Pereira in a high-profile “show fight” before retiring.“Poatan” welcomed the callout. During media days, Pereira argued that boxing was one of his strongest base skills, revealing that he had sparred successfully against top-10 heavyweight boxers and believed his legendary power could translate well to the ring.However, with his latest comments about his age and remaining