Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is all-in on his transition from MMA to boxing, as he gets ready to face Tito Ortiz this weekend in a Triller boxing match.
But he’s also not ruling out a potential boxing match against former UFC colleague Georges St-Pierre, should UFC president Dana White allow it to happen.
Silva is looking to earn another win to his boxing pedigree, after defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the ring earlier this year by split decision. He’ll face Ortiz at a catchweight of 195 pounds on the highly-anticipated Evander Holyfield-Vitor Belfort Triller card.
Silva and St-Pierre was a dream fight that UFC fans hoped to see for many years, and it sounds like the Brazilian legend is still open to the idea of boxing him. However, he would likely need White to give St-Pierre permission to void his UFC contract to face Silva.
During his pre-fight media availability, Silva talked about the possibility of boxing St-Pierre and took a shot at White in the process.
“It’s a possibility,” Silva said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “Georges St-Pierre is a guy that deserves all respect. Not only him but all fighters. And I think it would be an interesting fight, but we need the almighty to stop being annoying and let the guy move on.”
“Nothing coming from [Dana White] surprises me. I would like [White] to free him [from his contract]. He’s in shape to continue fighting, there’s no reason why you would keep him stuck [there] just for ego. It’s ridiculous. Let the guy go.”
St-Pierre was originally scheduled to face Oscar De La Hoya in a boxing match before White intervened and wouldn’t allow him to waive his deal with the promotion. Instead, he offered St-Pierre another MMA fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, which he then declined.
It appears that the tension between former UFC fighters and the UFC president continues to rise, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Silva-St-Pierre fight ever happens.
Do you think we’ll see Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre in the boxing ring?