Anderson Silva is set to face Chael Sonnen in a boxing match on June 15.
Silva announced the matchup on Fantastico on May 20. The two former UFC middleweight fighters will compete at Spaten Fight Night on June 15 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The weight class and bout specification (exhibition or professional) haven’t been revealed yet.
Anderson, I’ll see you June 15th…#Advertisement @spiderandersonsilva @spaten_br #BebaComModeração #SpatenFightNight #UltimaLutaSpider #EstiloForteSpaten pic.twitter.com/PUZ1AGAm3Z
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) May 20, 2024
“See you June fifteenth,” Sonnen told Silva in a video on X on May 20, further substantiating the fight.
The news comes as a shock as Hollywood actor Terry Crews called out ‘The Spider’ for a fight just a day prior on May 19 – which Silva agreed to. Perhaps this was a marketing ploy to bring eyes to the eventual announcement. Instead, Silva will have a chance to make it 3-0 against Sonnen, this time in the boxing ring.
Silva and Sonnen fought twice in the UFC: Once in 2010, and again in 2012. Both times, Sonnen was challenging for Silva’s middleweight throne. The American came closest to defeating Silva during his lengthy title reign. He was cruising to a victory in their first fight, until Silva pulled off one of the greatest comebacks of all time with a triangle-armbar in the dying minutes of the final round.
Watch Silva vs. Sonnen 1 below, courtesy of the UFC on YouTube:
Sonnen was also winning the rematch until he made a brutal mistake in round two. One of UFC history’s biggest ‘what-ifs’ is the disastrous spinning back elbow Sonnen attempted in the second round, which he missed and plummeted to the cage side. Silva pummeled Sonnen with knees and elbows along the cage for a TKO finish. Catch some of the highlights below:
The all-time great rivalry will have a chance to conclude on June 15.
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