BoxRec

Anderson Silva to face Chael Sonnen in boxing match June 15

One of the greatest rivalries in mixed martial arts history will recommence next month.

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will face Chael Sonnen in a boxing match June 15 in Brazil, the Spaten Fight Night promotion announced Sunday. Silva, 49, had been teasing his career finale earlier this week, claiming his final fight would take place next month in his birthplace of Sao Paulo.

Sonnen, 47, confirmed his participation via social media.

"Oh Anderson, yoohoo," Sonnen said. "It's me again. See you June 15."

Silva (34-11) and Sonnen (30-17-1) produced one of the most memorable two-fight rivalries in UFC history. Silva was in the midst of a UFC-record 16 consecutive wins when he ran into Sonnen in 2010. The outspoken title challenger from West Linn, Oregon, was a massive underdog going into their first meeting at UFC 117.

Sonnen shocked the world for 23 minutes of that fight, dominating Silva with takedowns and ground-and-pound before Silva secured a late triangle choke off his back. The UFC is set to induct that fight into its Hall of Fame in late June.

They met again two years later at UFC 148 in a blockbuster rematch in Las Vegas. Silva knocked out Sonnen with a knee to the chest after Sonnen lost balance throwing a spinning backfist.

Silva retired from the UFC in 2020, but has since boxed professionally four times. He is 2-1-1 in the ring, with the only loss coming to Jake Paul via decision in 2022. Sonnen retired from MMA in 2019 after five appearances in Bellator MMA. The former collegiate wrestler has never boxed professionally.

Silva was widely considered the greatest fighter of all time by 2010, but Sonnen's ability to promote their rivalry with his trash talk of the Brazilian legend helped propel him to stardom.

It's funny how so many MMA/UFC fans criticize boxing and call it a dying sport, yet all their stars go to boxing for a real payday and to avoid starving to death.

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑20 May 2024, 05:33 It's funny how so many MMA/UFC fans criticize boxing and call it a dying sport, yet all their stars go to boxing for a real payday and to avoid starving to death.

The problem is not the growth of the sport, it's that UFC fighters get 10-20% of the revenue while boxers get 30-60%. The company and shareholders pocket the rest.

I wasn't talking about the growth of MMA/UFC, but about how their fans say that boxing is dying, yet all their fighters go to boxing for a real payday. I never understood why so many people want to be MMA/UFC fighters when the pay is so poor.

Sendo Takeshi wrote: ↑20 May 2024, 11:31 I wasn't talking about the growth of MMA/UFC, but about how their fans say that boxing is dying, yet all their fighters go to boxing for a real payday. I never understood why so many people want to be MMA/UFC fighters when the pay is so poor.

There's more ways to get into it. Anyone who has trained any martial art will have a different but usable base for MMA. Boxers, wrestlers, BJJ players, kickboxers and everything else. In boxing you mostly need to have been training boxing most of your life.

Fight Week!!

Fight Night!!

LOCATION
Sao Paulo, Brazil

START TIME
8 pm ET |5 pm PT | 1 am BST | 10 am AEST

Fight Card

5 Round 216 lbs Catchweight (boxing)
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen

10 Round 163 lbs Catchweight (boxing)
Esquiva Falcao vs. Hebert Conceicao

3 Round Bantamweight (MMA)
Bia Mesquita vs. Jorgina Ramos

4 Round Super Welterweight (boxing)
Kalyl Silva vs. Paulo Roberto

Anyone watched it?

DrDuke wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 03:24 Anyone watched it?

Don’t even know who won?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 09:38

DrDuke wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 03:24 Anyone watched it?

Don’t even know who won?

No and no one, respectively.

Sousa won by decision, Sonnen - Silva was a draw

Cent0089 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 11:08 Sousa won by decision, Sonnen - Silva was a draw

From the little bit of footage I've seen it was also a fake fight. They were going lighter on each other than most guys go in sparring.