Vitor Belfort Unretires, Challenges Roy Jones Jr. To Boxing Match

Earlier this week, Brazilian mixed martial arts legend Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort came out of retirement and signed a promotional agreement with Asian mixed martial arts company, ONE Championship.

And Belfort shockingly is the latest MMA star to call for a cross-sport boxing match with a well-known boxer, former four division champion Roy Jones Jr.

For several years, UFC legend Anderson Silva was pushing for a boxing match with Jones - but UFC President Dana White was very reluctant to allow that bout to happen.

Back in 2017, the biggest and most financially lucrative cross-sport clash in history took place when Floyd Mayweather unretired to score a ten round stoppage over UFC star Conor McGregor.

“One fight I’d really love is me against Roy Jones Jr.,” Belfort told MMA Fighting.

“Roy, wherever you are, I wanna come challenge you for boxing match but with this condition: I’m gonna be able to dirty box with you.”

Belfort, earned a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie. He became one of the earliest stars of the sport, making his professional debut in 1996 at the age of 19. In a career that has spanned over two decades and 41 professional bouts, Belfort became a heavyweight tournament champion, a light heavyweight world champion in two different organizations, and a perennial top contender in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

While traditionally trained as a grappler, it was Belfort’s lightning-fast hands and devastating knockout power that brought him undeniable success in his mixed martial arts career. Over the years he has collected 18 wins via knockout in his 26 professional career victories.

Belfort has notable victories over the likes of Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold, and Dan Henderson, twice. Belfort has also faced other big-name stars such as Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, and Lyoto Machida, among others.