Cris Cyborg Says Next Fight Will Be Boxing Match

Cris Cyborg is just a few steps away from entering her next fight.

But it won’t be in a cage – instead the Bellator featherweight champion revealed that she’s closing in on her professional boxing debut. On “The MMA Hour,” Cyborg revealed she was fighting Simone Silva on September 25.

“It’s one of my dreams,” Cyborg said about boxing.

Sources reportedly told ESPN that it would be an eight-round boxing match with two-minute rounds and contested with 8-ounce gloves.

According to a report, Cyborg’s sole Bellator appearance this year was the final fight on her contract. She earned a unanimous decision victory against Arlene Blencowe, marking the first time she’s gone the distance in three years.

Last week, PFL CEO Peter Murray said that there’s been “outreach” between the promotion and Cyborg in efforts to book a blockbuster fight against PFL star Kayla Harrison.

Cyborg, however, said otherwise.

“No, we never have any talks with PFL,” Cyborg said.

“We never talked about this fight. I know there’s a lot of talk on the internet about making this fight happens in different ways, but we’ve never had the talk about anything.”

The current featherweight champion clarified and said she’s still interested in the fight – she’s open to the “best fights” for her fans.

In late June, Matchroom Boxing Promoter Eddie Hearn said he wanted to match Cyborg up with undisputed lightweight boxing champion Katie Taylor and former multi-time boxing champion Holly Holm.

“The thing I don’t like about the Cyborg fight is that she’s big and strong. Katie would have to go up. She would have to fight above 140, which she can’t really do, but Cyborg has a massive problem fighting Taylor because — she doesn’t mind, but in terms of the fight itself, you’re talking about a pound-for-pound great,” Hearn previously said.

Bellator head Scott Coker has been clear that he’s open for his fighters to cross over into a different sport while under contract.

Cyborg is considered one of the greatest women’s MMA fighters of all time. She has four Bellator title defenses and is on a six-fight winning streak. Her only pro loss was in the UFC to UFC double champion Amanda Nunes.