Who is Gabriel Silva? Is he related to Anderson Silva? Know about the boxer as he goes viral for slapping Anthony Taylor ahead of Misfits fight
Rising star Gabriel Silva is all set to return to the squared circle. The 27-year-old boasts a professional boxing record of 1-0. He's also strung together a 2-0 record under the Misfits Boxing banner, which is a U.K.-based boxing promotion co-founded by influencer KSI and features pro and exhibition boxing bouts.
Silva is scheduled to face MMA fighter-cum-boxer Anthony Taylor in a light heavyweight boxing match, with Taylor's MFB light heavyweight championship at stake. Their fight would feature on the much-awaited Misfits Boxing 17 (MF & DAZN: X Series 17) card. The event transpires at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 31, 2024.
Who is Gabriel Silva? Is he related to Anderson Silva?
Gabriel Silva is one of the five children of Anderson Silva, who boasts a professional MMA record of 34 wins, 11 losses, and 1 No Contest. 'The Spider' boasts the longest UFC title reign ever (2,457 days). He lost his UFC middleweight title in 2013 and departed the UFC in late 2020. Silva hasn't competed in MMA since but has partaken in professional and exhibition boxing bouts.
The 49-year-old's pro boxing record stands at 3-2. The legendary Brazilian fighter is often seen training with his children, including sons Kalyl and Gabriel Silva.
On Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's JAXXON podcast, earlier this year, Gabriel recalled watching boxers train at his father's gym. He gravitated more toward it, which is why he's pursuing a boxing career. Nevertheless, he's willing to possibly compete in MMA if the ideal opportunity arises.
In regard to sparring with Anderson Silva, Gabriel Silva stated:
"Yeah, man. The real footage, you guys don't get to see, but it goes crazy. When I last sparred my dad, he opened up my eyebrows. So, it was really tough ... Yeah, he puts hands. He doesn't hold back. He doesn't see me as a son. Once we get to spar, it's athlete vs. athlete."
Moreover, Gabriel noted that he's learned a lot from the mindset and consistency that his 25-year combat sports veteran father possesses.
Check out Gabriel's comments about his father Anderson below:
Fans react to Gabriel Silva's slap of Anthony Taylor heading into Misfits Boxing 17
During their ceremonial fighter face-off at the Misfits Boxing 17 pre-fight press conference this week, Gabriel Silva and MFB light heavyweight champion Anthony 'Pretty Boy' Taylor got into a war of words and physical altercation. At the press conference, Taylor had notably spoken about fighting Silva's brother and father after potentially beating him.
During the face-off, Silva slapped Taylor, and the champion seemingly attempted a takedown. Security personnel swiftly separated them, and the duo continued their verbal battle from afar.
Watch the incident below:
Fans soon weighed in, with some siding with Gabriel Silva and others supporting Anthony Taylor. One fan opined that Silva had broken Taylor for the fight and his career's remainder. Another netizen commented on the video posted to Silva's Instagram handle and wrote:
"That slap hurt his soul"
One commenter requested Silva to knock Taylor out:
"pls knock AT out pls"
Additionally, an observer backed Taylor and wrote:
"Ant going KO his a**"
Alternatively, a commenter expressed their support for Silva and wrote:
"Let's go Gabe!"
Furthermore, one fan predicted a war and wrote:
"WAR! I feel a war coming!"
Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:
