Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is the latest MMA fighter to announce his plans to transition into boxing.
Whittaker (26-9) won the interim UFC middleweight championship by defeating Yoel Romero at UFC 213 in 2017, and was elevated to the full champion after Georges St-Pierre vacated the title. Whittaker lost the championship to Israel Adesanya in 2019 and is currently looking to regain his momentum, however he has struggled recently, losing his last two bouts to Khamzat Chimaev by a first-round stoppage in October 2024 and to Reinier De Ridder by split decision in July 2025. Now with just a few fights left on his UFC contract, the 35-year-old Whittaker is looking towards a boxing career due to the money he feels he can earn and the ability to remain active and fit.
“Yeah, it interests me for sure. Certainly. It definitely interests me especially like not have to go through the boxing circuit the way like a lot of guys did. If I can move straight up to these, what are you going to call them? What kind of fights are these? They’re like the UFC guys coming into boxing doing … Those sort of fights. You know what I’m talking about. “I think there’s some money to be made there. I think it’ll keep me fit. I think it’s definitely an aspect of the sport that I enjoy. I’ve always loved striking. To move into that field would be cool. It would be a nice, fresh change,” Whittaker saidÂ