Roy Jones Jr. Wants Anderson Silva Boxing Match

While there is a serious hype building around Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor, it is not the first time that a top MMA star and legendary boxer have discussed fighting. Years ago, Anderson Silva and Roy Jones Jr. were in talks to fight each other in the ring, and it appears Jones is still interested.

The 48-year-old boxer, who last competed on Friday with a win over former bareknuckle fighter Bobby Gunn, took to social media to restate his interest in boxing Silva now that Mayweather and McGregor have reinvigorated the boxer vs. MMA fighter talk.

Jones and Silva have discussed a boxing match for years, however a deal was never made for a variety of reasons including the conditions of Silva’s contract with the UFC. Dana White was hesitant to give his blessing to the fight between Jones and Silva, who at the time was the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

Similarly, McGregor’s UFC contract may be the biggest hurdle holding up the chances that he steps into the ring with Floyd Mayweather.

Silva, 41, last fought at UFC 208 in Brooklyn. He defeated Derek Brunson by unanimous decision. Though the decision was highly controversial and most media members and fans believed Brunson clearly deserved to win, it was Silva’s first official victory since 2012.