Joshua has told UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to get in touch about a possible boxing battle.

Anthony Joshua may want to help UFC champion Alex Pereira launch a boxing career, but his idea has little chance of succeeding.

Joshua took to social media over the weekend to recommend that light-heavyweight champion Pereira switch from MMA to boxing following his victory over Jiri Prochazka last month. “Alex Pereira should make his boxing debut one day,” Joshua wrote.

“I’m honoured you think so,” Pereira replied. “It’s always been my dream, I’m 37 I cannot make a career in it so who do you recommend I fight?” Joshua added: “The options are endless champ. I am sure something can be done. Drop 258 MGT [Joshua’s management company] a line.”

But Pereira recently signed an eight-fight deal with the UFC and the promotion’s CEO Dana White is unlikely to entertain one of his star attractions taking a break from MMA. He did allow Conor McGregor to fight Floyd Mayweather in 2017 but has shown little enthusiasm for a repeat performance.

Pereira revealed his new long-term deal to The MMA Hour earlier this year, saying: “Friday I signed, the start of this fight, eight more.” My relationship with the UFC is very excellent. I’m very grateful for how the UFC and my management team work together. They’ve been accomplishing tremendous things together. I believe the UFC appreciates who I am because I am composed, focused, and deliver.

“When I first joined UFC, they gave me three fights. After the first fight, they renewed me for eight, Dana did after the [Sean] Strickland fight. Now, they just gave me another eight and of course, I bring [things] to the table, too. They’re happy with that but they’re very good with us, too, so, we cannot complain. We’re in a perfect relationship.”

Should Pereira make the move to boxing, he would be following in the footsteps of former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou who took on Tyson Fury last year. The Cameroonian almost stunned the former world champion, dropping him in the third round before being outpointed over 10 rounds.

Ngannou was then obliterated by Joshua in March when the Brit knocked out his rival in the second round. Ngannou is expected to return to MMA later this year while Joshua will take on Daniel Dubois for the vacant IBF heavyweight title at Wembley in September.