After all, Vitor Belfort won’t compete this weekend (Sat., Nov. 19, 2022).
Rico Boxing reported today (Mon., Nov. 14, 2022) that Belfort was out of his upcoming Hasim Rahman Jr. match at Misfits: 003 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. MMA Fighting later confirmed the report.
The match was set to headline the event and Belfort’s reason for his removal remains unknown at this time. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight titleholder is still expected to box for the promotion in the future.
Belfort has had just one boxing match — an exhibition — since his hiatus from mixed martial arts (MMA). In Sept. 2021, “The Phenom” squared off with boxing legend, Evander Holyfield, stopping him a minute and 49 seconds into the contest (watch highlights).
Belfort, 45, last fought in MMA against his fellow Brazilian legend and former UFC champion, Lyoto Machida, in May 2018. Suffering a nasty second round front kick knockout, Belfort departed the promotion and signed with ONE Championship in Singapore. He never wound up fighting overseas, however, after many anticipated a Heavyweight collision with Cameroonian powerhouse, Alain Ngalani.
As for Rahman, the 31-year-old boxing upstart has risen to fame after booking a fight against Jake Paul this past Summer (Aug. 2022). Unfortunately for the 12-1 Baltimore, Maryland native, Rahman’s weight struggles prevented the bout from happening, but he still managed to capitalize off the situation.
The full Dazn card is now cut down to five total bouts. The names still competing can be seen below.
- Josh Brueckner vs. Chase DeMoor
- King Kenny vs. DK Money
- Deen The Great vs. Walid Sharks
- Minikon vs. Nick Joseph
- Fangs vs. 6ar6ie6
- Brandon Buckingham vs. Ice Poseidon
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