Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva will be back in action in June, this time in a boxing match against former WBC middleweight title holder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
The news was first reported by TMZ and has since been confirmed by other outlets.
The bout will take place in Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico and is part of a card that is expected to be broadcast via pay-per-view. Chavez Jr.’s father, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., will also be competing on the card in an exhibition bout against Hector Camacho Jr.
This will be Silva’s first competitive appearance since being released from his UFC contract in November last year; prior to his departure, he’d suffered three consecutive losses, the most recent being a TKO defeat to Uriah Hall. His exit, however, doesn’t take away from his status as a UFC legend, which he earned by setting the record for the longest title defense in the promotion’s history. This isn’t his first boxing endeavor — he holds a 1-1 record, his most recent boxing bout taking place in 2005.
Silva’s opponent will certainly give him a run for his money. Chavez Jr. boasts a record of 52-5, with one draw and one no-contest. He most recently defeated Jeyson Minda via TKO at the end of November last year.
