Anderson Silva set to box Tito Ortiz in September
Former UFC champions Anderson Silva (34-11-0) and Tito Ortiz (21-12-1) will be seen sharing the squared circle this year. The two UFC legends will reportedly battle under the Triller Fight Club banner on September 11.
According to a report by MMA Fighting, the matchup will take place on the undercard of Oscar De La Hoya vs. Vitor Belfort. The bout will likely be contested at a 195-pound catchweight limit. The news was first revealed by Brazilian journalist Guilherme Cruz:
Anderson Silva was last seen in a boxing match with Julio Chavez Jr. on June 19 at The Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. The bout was featured on the 'Tribute to the Kings' card, which was headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Hector Camacho Jr.
Silva looked impeccable in his striking prowess and dominated Chavez Jr. through most of the fight. The bout went the distance and 'The Spider' was awarded a split decision win in his third pro-boxing outing.
On the other hand, Silva's forthcoming rumored opponent, Tito Ortiz, has not fought since December 2019. Ortiz's last fight was against Alberto Rodriguez at Combate 51. 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' secured a rear-naked choke win in round one, extending his winning streak to three.
The 46-year-old MMA pioneer may have seen success in his most recent fights, but he has no professional boxing experience whatsoever. Undoubtedly, Ortiz will face adversity when he takes on Anderson Silva at Staples Center in Los Angeles on September 11.
"People like to see entertainment" - Anderson Silva on why he forayed into boxing
Prior to fighting Chavez Jr., Anderson Silva had two pro-boxing fights under his belt. The Brazilian lost his debut to Osmar Luiz Teixeira in 1998 and won his second boxing match against Julio Cesar de Jesus in 2005.
Primarily known for being a striking savant, Anderson Silva enjoyed focussing on a single aspect of fighting. He told MMA Fighting earlier this year that his passion for boxing was re-ignited after he retired from MMA in 2020:
“You need to train in using your mind more in the other sport. Because in MMA you can hold the guy, you can put [him] on the ground, you can kick, you can use an elbow but in boxing not. You need to take the good decisions, smart decisions and use your feet, use your hands to reflect, everything," said Anderson Silva.
He further added that making a crossover to boxing will draw more eyeballs to combat sports in general:
"Everybody thinks about more entertainment and people like to see the entertainment. People like to watch the entertainment. This is the new world."