Frank Mir is gearing up to make his return to combat sports, only it won’t be inside a mixed martial arts (MMA) cage. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champion of the world will make his boxing debut against former multi-division champion, Antonio Tarver, on April 17. Mir made the announcement on Twitter.
“I am a competitor. I have been all my life. I take on challenges to grow and better myself as a person. I have always wanted to test myself in the boxing ring so when this opportunity arose I jumped on it. See you April 17th Antonio Tarver,” he wrote.
The fight will serve as the co-main event for the upcoming bout between YouTube personality-turned boxer, Jake Paul, facing off against former Bellator and ONE Championship Welterweight champion, Ben Askren, who walked away from UFC in 2019.
Mir hasn’t competed since defeating Roy Nelson at Bellator 231 in October of 2019. Despite having 32 pro MMA fights to his name against some of the best fighters on the planet, Mir has never participated in a pro sanctioned boxing match. His win over “Big Country” was his first in his previous five outings.
Facing Tarver will be a tough task to say the least despite the fact that the former Cruiserweight, Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champion hasn’t competed in over five years. Tarver has 39 pro boxing fights on his resume, which includes going toe-toe three time against Roy Jones Jr., winning two of them, knocking him out once. He also went the distance with Bernard Hopkins in 2006, though he wound up losing a unanimous decision.
Mir recently inked a deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), but his debut for that promotion will be put on hold until after he makes his professional boxing debut.
Dare I ask for predictions?