Vitor Belfort becomes the latest name in MMA planning to step foot in the boxing ring.
With his deal with ONE Championship coming to a close, Vitor Belfort plans to make the move from MMA to boxing.
Belfort (26-14, 1 NC) has not competed since being defeated by Lyoto Machida in his final fight in the UFC. ‘The Phenom’ signed a deal with ONE in 2019 and was expected to make his promotional debut against Alan Ngalani last year, but the fight never came to fruition.
Talking recently to AG Fight, Belfort said he would be open to former multiple-weight boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya, Anderson Silva, and even Evander Holyfield.
“I’m looking for an opponent now. I heard that Oscar de la Hoya is looking for someone to face. Oscar, don’t be afraid. Now, our agreement is about to end. We have no fight there. But this is boxing, I am free to fight boxing,” Belfort said.
It wouldn’t be the first time Belfort has stepped in the ring. The Brazilian made his debut in 2006 when he defeated Josemario Neves by first-round knockout. Belfort went on to explain why a rematch with Silva, who defeated Belfort in the UFC a decade ago, would be “incredible”.
“Anderson would be incredible. Anderson and I, it would be a big rematch in boxing. It could be Oscar, Anderson, Holyfield. There is a list of guys who can make this happen.”
Silva is set to box Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on June 19th. It will be the 46-year-old’s first boxing fight since 2005.