Among those throwing cold water on the upcoming boxing spectacle between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson is former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Vitor Belfort.
Belfort held little back when discussing the upcoming Paul vs. Tyson boxing match. The YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former heavyweight champion are scheduled to square off on July 20 in Arlington, Texas, and many are debating the validity of their upcoming matchup. The rules, approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, consist of a bout in which heavyweight fighters wear 14-ounce gloves and engage in eight two-minute rounds. Nevertheless, the Texas commission declared the match to be a professional match. Speaking to Sherdog about Wednesday’s matchup, Belfort wasn’t a fan.
“16-ounce gloves are only used in sparring to protect the fighter,” the former champion said. “Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will be sparring.” [match] Live on Netflix and make millions of dollars. ”
After leaving the sport of MMA, Belfort has also made waves in the boxing ring. He faced Evander Holyfield for the first time in a 2021 exhibition and swept the heavyweight legend in one round. He faced fellow elder statesman Ronaldo Souza in 2023, winning a decision after six rounds. His next fight was expected to be against Brazilian boxing great Acerino Freitas, but that may not happen.
“My agent just had a meeting with FMS.” [Fight Music Show] I’m the owner, and the fact is they don’t have the money to pay me,” Belfort said flatly. “So it’s not about weight category anymore.”
A few years ago, Belfort created a unique fighting style called “Boxing Martial Arts,” which combines boxing and mixed martial arts, allowing him to clinch while forbidding leg strikes, elbows, and takedowns. ‘The Phenom’ also showcased the design of the gloves used in BMA matches. This is similar to training gloves like karate.
Mr. Belfort continued. “I’m not just fighting for money. My goal is to fight meaningfully. I want to fight under BMA rules, where boxers and mixed martial artists can compete on an equal playing field. “Imagine Anthony Joshua and Jon Jones fighting in BMA gloves and Jones being able to show off his ability in the clinch.”
Belfort, 47, knows his time is limited from a competitive standpoint. Most of his competitive peers from his generation have hung up the gloves and are now coaching or moving on to the next stage of their lives. For the few survivors, Belfort wants to fight regardless of the rules.
“Wanderlei”
[Silva], Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, Lyoto Machida, Nate Diaz, Darren Till, Mike Perry. Any of those players would make sense,” Belfort concluded, offering a list of his next opponents.
