Cris Cyborg returns to boxing, not PFL
Bellator MMA women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg announced via today in a press release that will compete in a boxing bout next, not a mixed martial arts bout with the MMA brand’s new parent company in the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Cyborg will face Widnelly Figueroa in the main event of Green Bay Fight Night in Green Bay, Wisc., on April 27. The 154-pound match will be contested in four two-minute rounds with 10oz gloves.
“I was hopeful to be fighting (Larissa) Pacheco in June which gave me limited dates to pursue a boxing fight,” Cyborg stated in the release. “Figueroa is a tough opponent who has been in the ring with boxing Olympians with a lot more experience than me. I have been training hard and am hoping to continue showing the improvements I am making in my boxing skills.
“I want to prove to the people in boxing that my KO power in MMA can translate into KO power with the bigger gloves. I’m working on my boxing techniques so that I am going to be able to deliver the type of fight ending finishes fans want to see. I’m looking to bring excitement to women’s boxing like I’ve done in WMMA.”
Recently PFL promoter Donn Davis said that he believed his promotion’s relationship with Cyborg was good and that they were headed in the right direction to have her face Pachecho who currently owns the title. Cyborg later responded that things were not going well and she wanted a sit-down meeting.
Cyborg is undefeated at 2-0 in professional boxing, defeating Kelsey Wickstrum in Janjary and Gabrielle Holloway by way of unanimous decision. She also defeated Simone da Silva in an exhibition bout.
Figueroa is is 0-2 as a professional and hasn’t fought since 2017.
