Anderson Silva has set a target age for when he will retire from competition.
This Saturday, September 11, Anderson Silva will return to the boxing ring after his upset victory over Julio César Chávez Jr. in June. Silva stunned the world with this win not only because it came over a very proven and experienced boxer but because Silva managed to do it at 46 years of age.
Silva has often spoken about his desire to keep fighting even when the outside world thought it’d be best for him to hang it up. After his victory over Chavez gave him vindication for his decision to continue competing, that begs the questions, when exactly will Silva retire? Does he ever even intend on retiring? Or is he looking to follow the Nate Diaz anti-retirement plan and continue fighting ad infinitum?
Speaking with TMZSports, Silva revealed the answers to these questions (h/t MiddleEasy).
“My goal is my last fight (to be when) I’m 49. 49 is (when) I’m done, probably but I don’t know. But that’s my goal, fight three more years and I’m done. 49, that’s the number,” Silva said. “Maybe I can fight more, but right now my goal is when I turn 49 I stop fighting. I don’t fight anymore. But I don’t know, I’m in good shape. I’m so happy to go to the gym every day, to Spider Lab, and learn something new.”
Anderson Silva competed in MMA for a jarring 23 years in total. This Saturday’s bout against fellow 46-year-old Tito Ortiz will make for his fourth professional boxing bout. Silva currently holds a 2-1 record as a boxer. His most recent MMA fight took place in October 2020 in a TKO loss to Uriah Hall, which made for his third consecutive defeat in the UFC.
What are some fights you’d like to see Anderson Silva have, whether in boxing or MMA, before he hangs up his gloves?
