Jeremy Stephens sees BKFC fight vs. ex-UFC champ Eddie Alvarez as career defining

Despite fighting some of the world’s best under the UFC banner for well over a decade, Jeremy Stephens feels he hasn’t exactly gotten the respect he deserves from the combat sports world.

Stephens, a former UFC featherweight veteran, believes he has the perfect opportunity to change his legacy and fan perspective later this month, as he takes on former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. The two are set to collide in bareknuckle boxing in the main event of BKFC’s KnuckleMania 5 on Jan. 25 at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, Penn.

“There’s a lot of questions to be answered, and I’ll answer them,” Stephens told MMA Junkie. “People are really going to have to respect that. You go out there and beat a guy like that with all the accolades in someone else’s hometown, backyard, and willing to take the risk and step up a weight class to make sure this fight actually happens?

“You tell me. I’m taking the biggest risk for the biggest opportunity. I’m putting my balls on the line for the fans. People may not like me, they may disagree with me all the time, but you look at the facts: Your boy right here is the real deal. I’m putting it all on the line.”

There’s no denying that Stephens is stepping in this opportunity as the underdog. He’s fighting a weight class above his usual one, and fighting in Alvarez’s hometown. Despite all that, Stephens is enjoying the moment and think it’s panning out to be for a perfect career defining moment.

“This is my dream. I’ve visualized it,” Stephens said. “I’ve been the one active. I’ve been making this opportunity. I took a pay cut last fight, just to put my f*cking balls on the line, so hopefully BKFC recognized that and lets it be known. I put it all on the line and took a big risk against a hard puncher that’s similar to my opponent. My opponent is shorter and slower, so you tell me. I put myself in theses opportunities. … People need to start putting some respect on my name. I’m putting it all on the line.”