Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has laid out his retirement plans.
‘The Spider’ is set to return to the boxing ring next month against Jake Paul. The pair will headline a Showtime pay-per-view from the Gila River Arena in Arizona. The bout will be the fourth straight appearance in the boxing ring since Silva left the UFC in 2020.
The Brazilian has captured victories over names such as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz in that time. While he left the octagon on a rough losing streak, the former champion has dominated in the boxing ring. Silva is currently the betting favorite against the undefeated Paul next month.
Despite his success in the boxing ring, the 47-year-old still wants to compete in MMA. Silva previously revealed his goal to end his career in Japan. Furthermore, Bellator’s Scott Coker revealed he previously discussed booking the Brazilian against Fedor Emelianenko.
If that showdown with ‘The Last Emperor’ happens, it’ll have to be before Anderson Silva’s 50th birthday. In an interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, he revealed his retirement plans.
In the interview, the Brazilian revealed that he wants to retire at 49 years old. While that’s a wild number for some, considering what Silva is doing in the boxing ring currently, it’s not a stretch.
“When I’m done, I’m done,” he said. “I just close the door, this is part of my past, thank you, and I’m out. But right now, I’m good. I’m continuing doing something very good, doing sparring with good kids, professional fighters, Olympic champions.” (h/t MMA News)
He continued, “The guys have helped me a lot and I’m continuing doing something at the same level as the kids… I don’t know [if I’ll fight at 50]. I think I’ll do fighting with my grandchildren in the home… I think my last fight will be at 49. 49 is the number.”
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