3 reasons UFC fans can't miss Anderson Silva's boxing match against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

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Anderson Silva (left) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Anderson Silva, the former UFC middleweight champion and one of the greatest MMA fighters ever, is set to step back inside the boxing ring for the first time in 16 years. Silva is one of the very few legends that can be considered for GOAT status, and now he is furthering his combat sports adventure inside the world of boxing. He takes on boxing veteran Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 19.

'The Spider' is considered one of the greatest ever, with his 185-pound reign spreading across nearly seven years. However, Anderson Silva could not bid farewell to MMA the way he greeted it, losing five of his last six bouts, including his swan song against Uriah Hall.

Nevertheless, fans have the opportunity to see Silva fight once again, albeit in a boxing ring. Here are three reasons why UFC fans can't miss Anderson Silva's boxing match against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

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#3 - 'The Spider' is making a comeback to combat sports

Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is widely considered the GOAT in MMA. That doesn't mean that 'The Spider' can still step inside the octagon and thrash Kamaru Usman, but that his legacy is largely era-driven. Despite going 1-7-1 in his last seven years in the UFC, Silva sits on the GOAT throne because ruling the middleweight division from 2006 to 2013 allows him to do so.

Anderson Silva was one of the most revered fighters in MMA, and was even marketed that way in the UFC. His 16-0 unbeaten streak was unparalleled in all of MMA, making him nothing less than a phenomenon in the sport. 'The Spider' did not have the muscular looks of a stereotypical MMA fighter, but was arguably UFC’s first athlete truly meant for big events.

Anderson Silva spoke about his return to boxing against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and told MMA Junkie-

"I put in my heart and I helped put the UFC in a different level. Of course my era is done in the UFC, but I just finished (my contract) because when I came in the UFC I was a free man. When I come out of the UFC, I’m a free man. I just want to do something I love to do. And let me tell you something important, nobody can say something for you, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ You can do everything in your life when you have passion and love. The people can’t hold you."

To witness Anderson Silva return to combat sports with a renewed sense of purpose should be a treat for UFC fans.

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#2 - Anderson Silva knows how to box

Anderson Silva working in boxing gloves

Unlike other MMA fighters venturing into the world of boxing, Anderson Silva has had a brief boxing career. 'The Spider' last entered the boxing ring in 2005 and knocked out Julio Cesar de Jesus in round two. Anderson Silva is 1-1 in his professional boxing career. He said in a press release-

"When I look back at my journey, I see that nothing has been in vain. I am extremely happy for the opportunity to test my boxing skills with Julio César Chávez Jr. I train continuously, always am striving for resilience and to overcome obstacles. Fighting is my everlasting breath."

Anderson Silva was also a part of the famed Chute Boxing Academy in Brazil when he was fighting for Pride FC during his early years. However, he left the institution after a fall-out and soon moved on to the UFC. During his time in the promotion, Silva knocked out many MMA veterans, for example Forrest Griffin, largely due to his boxing IQ.

When Silva enters the boxing ring against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he won't be doing it only as an MMA legend, but also as a relatively experienced boxer.

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#1 - A boxing bout without the Paul brothers is finally some good news for UFC fans

Anderson Silva polishing his boxing moves

The once-sacred sport of boxing is now witnessing a trend where inexperienced boxers like Logan Paul and Jake Paul are taking on non-boxers in hyped-up bouts. Events with the likes of Nate Robinson and Ben Askren have more than marred the sport of boxing with a degree of farce.

Anderson Silva vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will come as a much-needed splash of relief for both UFC fans and traditional boxing fans. Additionally, where non-boxers from MMA like Ben Askren have tainted their sport in the world of boxing, Anderson Silva promises toe-to-toe competition against Chavez Jr.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. told MMA Junkie-

"This particular fight with Anderson Silva is more competitive because it’s eight rounds, at 180 pounds, and Anderson Silva knows how to fight because he had done boxing in the past. It’s a good fight and I think the UFC fighters need to train more (boxing) like him. They had a couple of other names, but at the end of the day, we picked Anderson Silva because I think he’s the most veteran fighter, the most important and most famous."

Watch the Anderson Silva vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. final face-off and press-conference here:

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