Anderson Silva reportedly in talks for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing match

An unexpected boxing match between former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. and mixed martial arts legend Anderson Silva is in the works for June 19.

The news has been first reported by ESPN Knockout on Monday following a press conference held this past Thursday.

During the June 19 card, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr’s father will compete for his last time, according to ESPN Argentina, and Chavez Jr. himself named former the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight kingpin as a potential opponent.

“It was what Julio mentioned, for now there is nothing concrete, but it is [what] you are trying to do, we are negotiating. It would be a 10-round fight,” Saúl Ríos, one of the event’s promoters said during the press conference (via Google translate).

The Brazilian legend was last seen in the Octagon last October when he was knocked out by UFC veteran Uriah Hall. “The Spider” concluded his mixed martial arts career with only one victory out of his last nine bouts, having succeeded only over Derek Brunson.

After that last encounter with Hall, one month later Silva was released by the UFC, and even if he was then eligible to be signed by other mixed martial arts promotions, no other promoters were interested in signing the former 185-pound UFC titleholder.

On that occasion, the Bellator brass, Scott Coker said: “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s definitely one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts. I really haven’t thought about it, but I think I’m happy with the way our roster is heading and the fighters that we have now. I think that’s my statement on that.”

Anderson Silva won’t be the first UFC fighter to switch from mixed martial arts to boxing. The most well-known fighter to do that has been former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, Conor McGregor, when he squared off against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.

Most recently, though, former UFC heavyweight belt-holder Frank Mir decided to try himself in the sweet science too, as he is going to lock horns against Antonio Tarver, during the undercard of the anticipated fight between Ben Askren and Jake Paul.

Anderson Silva and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. should clash on June 19 at the Jalisco Stadium, in Guadalajara, Mexico.