Cris Cyborg announces boxing return after PFL talks fall through: “I want to be active”

Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg is heading back to the boxing ring.

It’s been a strange few months for the Brazilian. In October, Cris Cyborg scored yet another title defense in a heated fight against Cat Zingano at Bellator 300. The first-round victory took place just weeks before the Scott Coker-led company was sold to the PFL.

While the deal was getting sorted out, the women’s featherweight champion booked a return to the boxing ring. In January, Cris Cyborg improved to 3-0 in her new venture, scoring a knockout win over Kelsey Wickstrum. With the win, many figured that she would be added to the PFL vs. Bellator card, going down in late February.

However, that fight booking never came for Cris Cyborg. The week following her win in the boxing ring, Kayla Harrison signed with the UFC to face Holly Holm in April. Undeterred, the Bellator champion called for a fight with reigning PFL tournament winner, Larissa Pacheco.

However, that fight too, was never booked. In recent weeks, Cris Cyborg has slammed the PFL, and Donn Davis for failing to get her a bout. The company has instead made the decision to put Cyborg on the shelf and book her this fall. With that in mind, the Brazilian will instead be heading to the boxing ring.

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(via Bellator MMA)

Cris Cyborg reveals plans for return to boxing ring after PFL talks fall through

Cris Cyborg announced the news of her boxing return in a recent interview with James Lynch. While she failed to get a PFL fight, there’s no meaningful title challengers left in Bellator for the Brazilian right now either. Cyborg was expected to face the rising Leah McCourt, but she was booked to face Sinead Kavanagh in March earlier this week.

“I was sad for Leah, Leah was next in line for the title.” Cris Cyborg stated in an interview with James Lynch, released earlier today. “She was the number one contender, and I’m ready to fight now. I told them, I just don’t want to sit down and wait for so long. If I have to wait, for sure I’m going to make one more boxing fight. I’ve been training, and waiting.”

She continued, “Not much [has gone on with the PFL]. We talked last time, and not much. I want to be active, you know? It’s nice to have some boxing fights and help my record, improve my game, and learn more. I think it’s important, and it motivates me to keep training and working. If I don’t have an MMA fight, I don’t have a reason to sit down and waiting. I think I can train, and do some boxing fights I’m really excited about.”

“For sure, next time, if it’s going to be Larissa, it’s going to be [that fight in the PFL].” Cris Cyborg concluded. “But, if it takes too long, for sure I’m going to do one boxing fight before.”

What do you make of these comments from Bellator champion Cris Cyborg? Who do you want to see her fight next?