Cris Cyborg is looking to step into the squared circle for her next fight.
In April, Cyborg successfully defended her featherweight title with a unanimous decision win over Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279. The win was Cyborg’s fourth straight title defense under the Bellator banner and her second defense against Blencowe, having submitted the Australian fighter back in 2020. Now that Cyborg has effectively won the division, Cyborg wants to move on to boxing in her next fight.
” I would love to box. It’s the perfect time for me,” Cyborg said on The MMA Hour. I can do it. I’m ready. That’s what I want. It’s a challenge. In the beginning of my career, before I was doing MMA, I was doing boxing. Although I have competed in BJJ and Muay Thai wrestling, I never got a chance to box. This is something I hope to do before the end of my career. Striking is what I enjoy. My fights always end by KO. I love to strike so it’s going be good.”
According to Cyborg’s current contract, she can pursue boxing matches with no interference from Bellator. However, Cyborg said that while she was busy fighting for her title, she couldn’t spare the time to boxing. Now though, Cyborg says her team is looking into details for her professional boxing debut, including potentially being on the undercard of Jake Paul’s next bout, which is being targeted for Aug. 13.
“We’re looking for the promoter and seeing who is going to be the opponent,” Cyborg said. “At this moment in my career, I want to do a boxing fight.
“I’m ready for August. It would be perfect to be on the same card [as Paul]. What he did for Serrano was amazing. This could have been huge .”
Cyborg and Paul have some familiarity with one another, with Cyborg taking part in the diss track Paul released targeting UFC president Dana White, a man who Cyborg has had her own issues with. Cyborg attended the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serbiano boxing match that Paul promoted this weekend. But in a perfect world, Cyborg says she would not face Paul’s fighter Amanda Serrano, but instead would target the winner of the bout on Saturday, Katie Taylor.
“Katie Taylor,” Cyborg replied when she was asked which boxer she would like to be. “It would be a big challenge for me. I like challenges. But Eddie [Hearn, Taylor’s promoter] has been calling me out for a little while to fight her, so maybe it’s time.”
Although a boxing match between Taylor and Serrano is unlikely, Cyborg’s stardom makes it very likely that she will next face a new opponent. But Cyborg still intends on finishing her career out in MMA, and with free agency looming, the 36-year old champion plans to take a serious look at where she will be signing next, especially since it may be the final contract of her storied career.
” I enjoy working with Scott [Coker], and Bellator,” Cyborg stated. “That’s family. It’s also important, because this may be the last free agency I have, and I believe I must maximize my contract, if this happens to be the last. Let’s wait and see what happens. I’m excited.
“Depending who I’m going to sign with, who I’m going to be with, they’re going to have to find girls for me to fight. It is important to me that I fight at least three fights per year. I also want to keep my career active. Active is what I desire. They must bring in more women to take on me.
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