‘The Axe Murderer’ Wanderlei Silva books boxing debut against Brazilian bodybuilder Felipe Franco
Five years removed from his last fight, combat sports legend Wanderlei Silva will step inside the squared circle for a boxing match with Brazilian bodybuilder Felipe Franco.
The bout was first announced during a bodybuilding event in Sao Paulo, Brazil before being confirmed by ‘The Axe Murderer’ on social media. The contest will take place under the Attack Fight Show banner on November 25 per a report from MMA Fighting.
“After some time away from the rings, I’m back, but this time in a different sport: boxing,” Silva wrote on Instagram page. “And it’s not any fight, my friends. I’ll be facing a great challenge, Felipe Franco, a renowned bodybuilder with strength yet to be known. I’m more than aware that it’s going to be a brutal fight, a battle of determination, strength and strategy.”
“The Axe Murderer” also revealed on social media that his son, Thor Silva, will compete on the card.
Wanderlei Silva Has Gone Toe-to-Toe with MMA’s Biggest Names
Wanderlei Silva last competed under the Bellator MMA banner in 2018, suffering back-to-back losses against Chael Sonnen and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson before walking away from the sport. Despite never capturing UFC gold, Silva is still one of the most revered fighters in the history of the promotion, engaging in memorable wars with some of the sport’s biggest names, including Victor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin, Michael Bisping, and Cung Le. Between two separate runs in the UFC, Wanderlei Silva made a name for himself under the PRIDE FC banner, capturing the promotion’s middleweight championship.
Leaving the cage behind, Silva has stayed busy curating the career of his son, who currently holds a 2-0 amateur MMA record and is 1-0 in amateur kickboxing bouts.
Wanderlei Silva’s opponent will be Felipe Franco, a 37-year-old professional bodybuilder, and politician who will be making his first combat sports appearance.
