Franklin admits fight with Belfort will be tough

UFC light heavyweight fighter Rich Franklin admits his fight against Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 will be tough.

Franklin claims people in the US does not ‘realize how tough Belfort is’.

He told MMA FanHouse: “He’s tough. I don’t think people here in the States realize how tough he is because he’s been out of the UFC for so many years.

“But he’s evolved as a fighter and he’s more dangerous as a fighter now than he was five or six years ago. He’s very well rounded and definitely a tough challenge.”

Franklin has admitted he has watched tapes of Belfort’s fights.

He said: “Yes. Typically what we do with an opponent is examine his most recent fights, just to get a feel of how he performs in the ring or the Octagon, and we’ve been watching a lot of recent tape on him.”

Tags: Rich Franklin, UFC, Vitor Belfort