By ABS-CBNnews.com and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Former kickboxing champion Alistair Overeem believes reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos of Brazil is afraid to fight him.

“I know that Dos Santos didn’t want to fight me in the first place,” Overeem told MMA Mania.

Overeem was supposed to challenge Dos Santos for the heavyweight championship at UFC 146, but tested positive for elevated testosterone after a random drug test conducted by the Nevada State Athletic Association (NSAC).

Overeem was subsequently suspended by the NSAC until December.

“I know (Dos Santos) was happy about the NSAC decision, I just know that,” Overeem said, before explaining why he feels Dos Santos does not want to fight him.

“I hit very hard, I’ve knocked out a lot of people, I’ve submitted lot of people,” he said. “I am, in anyway you look at it, a legitimate threat to his title.”

Overeem said he is a bigger threat to Dos Santos than former champion Cain Velasquez of Mexico.

“Cain doesn’t hit as hard as I do. Cain is a smaller man than I am and has less experience,” Overeem pointed out.

“I’m the biggest legitimate threat out there, that’s why he’s afraid,” he said.

At UFC 146, Dos Santos successfully defended his heavyweight title for the first time, knocking out former champion Frank Mir in the second round.

Dos Santos won the title against Velasquez at UFC on FOX 1, knocking out the Mexican in a little over a minute. The two fighters will face each other again at UFC 152 this September.