Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva has revealed how he defied the odds to defeat Julio César Chávez Jr. in a boxing match earlier this year.
Silva returned to the ring for the first time since 2005 in June after his UFC release. The Brazilian, who is widely regarded as the greatest of all time in MMA, ruled the promotion’s middleweight division from 2006 to 2013. In that time, he defended the title 10 times, secured the longest title reign, the longest win streak, and the most title-fight finishes in UFC history.
After being dethroned by Chris Weidman, Silva went 1-6-1 in his next eight outings. A main event loss to Uriah Hall last October signaled the end of an illustrious career on MMA’s biggest stage. Despite that, Silva’s journey in combat sports wasn’t over. “The Spider” ventured to the squared circle this year, a location he boasted a 1-1 record in at the time.
“The Spider” was matched up with a former boxing world champion 10 years his younger in Julio César Chávez Jr. Despite many expecting Silva’s poor form to continue in the ring, the 46-year-old showed glimpses of his old self, securing a split decision victory over the Mexican.
Silva Puts Upset Victory Down To “Self Belief”
Prior to his victory over Chávez Jr., which was followed by another triumph in the ring over fellow former UFC star Tito Ortiz, a host of fans and pundits, including Dana White, were sceptical of the Brazilian’s ability to continue competing in any form of combat sports.
Having proven his doubters wrong, Silva recently revealed what went into his upset win earlier this year. In a post uploaded to Instagram, “The Spider” threw shade at those who suggested he was too old to fight, and claimed self belief and dedication allowed him to complete the “impossible.”
“Short after my last MMA fight I heard in the media from a certain someone that somebody my age should not be fighting and that it was a mistake that I was put to fight. One month after I received an offer to fight in a boxing match in Mexico against a former champion 10 years younger then me, people said I was crazy and I couldn’t do it, and it was something impossible for me. But when your self belief is strong, you are dedicated, and the love for what you do is greater then any opinion, the impossible is simply routine. Always believe in yourself.”
Having knocked out Ortiz with relative ease, Silva is looking for a stiffer test when he next climbs through the ropes. During an appearance on The MMA Hour, the former UFC champ addressed rumors of a clash with 50-0 legend Floyd Mayweather. Silva said he’d be open to a fight with boxing’s biggest superstar.
“When I finished the fight with Tito and I saw on my Twitter and my Instagram, everybody talking ‘you need to fight with [Floyd] Mayweather!’ I don’t know, maybe this happens or not. I’m prepared for that. I just try to do my best everyday and I think this is a good fight, me and Mayweather.”
Who would you like to see Anderson Silva enter the ring with next?
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