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Boxing

Who is Anderson Silva? Background, record, championships, biggest wins of Jake Paul’s next opponent

Who is Anderson Silva? Background, record, championships, biggest wins of Jake Paul’s next opponentDAZN

MMA legend Anderson Silva is set to provide the toughest test of Jake Paul's professional boxing career so far when the pair go head-to-head in Arizona on Saturday night. 

Silva is a name synomynous with combat sports fans. He was one of the first superstars to come out of the UFC and rightly so. 

The 47 year old once held the UFC middleweight title and holds the record for the longest title reign in the organisation's history at 2,457 days. 

After leaving the UFC in November 2020, he returned to the world of professional boxing seven months later and his been lacing up the gloves ever since. 

DAZN takes a look at Silva's accomplished career ahead of his fight with "The Problem Child". 

What is Anderson Silva's record? 

Due to competing in both MMA and boxing, Anderson Silva is one of the rare athletes who has records in two professional combat sports. 

MMA

Silva's record in MMA reads 34-11-0.

Boxing 

Silva has fought four times as a professional and boasts a 3-1 record with two of those wins coming by way of knockout. 

Which world championships did Anderson Silva win? 

UFC middleweight champion (October 2006 - July 2013)

Anderson Silva became UFC middleweight champion in what was just his second fight with franchise, beating Rich Franklin with a first-round TKO on October 14 2006.

Silva then went onto to hold the title for a record 2,457 days before being knocked out in the second round by Chris Weidman at UFC 162 on July 6 2013. 

Anderson Silva notable career highlights 

Silva wins first UFC middleweight title; October 14, 2006  

Silva-Franklin UFC_October2006Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Following an hard-hitting UFC debut two months prior with a knockout win against Chris Leben, fans voted for Anderson Silva to face UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin. 

The pair would meet at UFC 64 and Silva grasped this title shot with both hands. A flurry of knee strikes proved too much for Franklin who failed to reply to any of Silva's attacks and fell to the ground forcing referee John McCarthy to stop the fight and crown Silva the new UFC middleweight champion. 

Silva claims Pride middleweight title; March 1, 2008

Silva-Henderson UFC_March2008Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Anderson Silva added another middleweight title to his CV in 2008 when he faced Pride champion Dan Henderson at UFC 82. 

Many believed Henderson may have had the edge in this fight with a superior ground game, but it was Silva who would emerge victorious with a rear naked choke in round two. 

Silva settles the score in Sonnen rematch; July 7, 2012

Silva-Sonnen 2 UFC_July2012Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

When Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen first fought for the UFC middleweight title in August 2010, controversy soon followed.

Silva won the contest with a submission in round five and successfully retained his title despite claiming to have gone into the fight with a cracked rib. It was then decided a rematch would take place, however, this was put on hold after Sonnen tested positive for a banned substance. 

On Sonnen's return which saw him win two back-to-back fights, Dana White scheduled the long-awaited second fight with Silva and the two finally settled the score at UFC 148.

The second meeting followed a similar pattern to the first in the opening round. Silva was being dominated by his American rival, but that was before the defending UFC middleweight champion managed to stop Sonnen in the second round and bring the curtain down on a thrilling rivalry. 

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