Anderson Silva to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on boxing debut scheduled for June 19

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has signed a contract to fight boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on June 19 at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Brazilian legend, who was released by UFC in 2020, confirmed the news while talking to TMZ a couple of days ago. The Spider will be returning to boxing after 16-long-years, with his last bout in the sport coming in 2005.

Anderson Silva vs Cesar Chavez Jr: Anderson Silva boxing

During the interview, Anderson Silva revealed that he didn’t stop training after his UFC release and looking forward test his boxing skills against Chavez Jr, who is the son of all-time great Julio Cesar Chavez. “I am extremely happy for the opportunity to test my boxing skills with Julio César Chávez Jr. I train continuously, always striving for resilience and to overcome obstacles. Fighting is my everlasting breath,” Silva added.

Anderson Silva boxing: Anderson Silva vs Cesar Chavez Jr fight

Silva and Chavez Jr will collide in an event titled “Tribute to the Kings,” which will also be available live on PPV. Apart from that, the mega-event will also feature an exhibition bout between legends Hector Camacho Jr and Julio Cesar Chavez. Chavez who has been competing in exhibitions since announcing his retirement in 2005, will face 42-year-old Hector, who hasn’t fought in almost two years.

Anderson Silva UFC: Silva’s UFC release

As for Silva, he will be fighting for the first time since his UFC career ended with a fourth-round TKO loss to Uriah Hall – his third defeat in a row. In his last nine fights, The Spider amassed an underwhelming 1-7 (1 NR) record and after his release from the promotion, he himself showed interest in hanging his gloves down for good. However, now it looks like the former UFC middleweight champion has decided to move forward with his combat sports career.

Anderson Silva UFC record

Although the tail end of Anderson Silva’s career has been rough, the legacy he created in the MMA is there for all to see. Silva still holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, in which he defeated legends like Chael Sonnen, Nick Diaz and others. Earlier, Silva was in talks to fight Roy Jones Jr in a boxing match, but now he’ll face Chavez Jr instead, who is 52-5-1 in pro-boxing.

“I have rededicated myself to the sport that I love and I will be ready to face anyone in the light heavyweight division starting with Silva. I will be prepared to be victorious on June 19, Chavez Jr told reporters (via MMAFighting).

Image Source: Anderson Silva/ Twitter