Gabriel Silva Eyes Boxing Glory, but Won't Rule Out an MMA Fight

Gabriel Silva during a boxing match

Gabriel Silva, the son of UFC icon Anderson Silva, is poised to take a significant step in his boxing career as he prepares to face Anthony Taylor for the Misfits light heavyweight title at X Series 17 in Dublin, Ireland. While Silva dreams of one day becoming a world champion in boxing, he acknowledges that his roots in mixed martial arts (MMA) could lead him to step into the cage at least once.

Silva has already made a name for himself in the boxing world with three victories across professional and exhibition matches. His ultimate goal is clear: to bring the Silva legacy into the sport of boxing and secure world titles, just as his father did in MMA.

“That’s the final goal, to fight for world titles in this sport and bring our name to the sport of boxing and not only in MMA, to kind of expand it to other horizons,” Silva told MMA Fighting.

Growing up in the shadow of his father's legendary UFC career, Silva was no stranger to the world of martial arts. He witnessed firsthand Anderson Silva's dominance as the UFC middleweight champion and trained alongside some of the biggest names in the sport. While he remains focused on boxing, Silva doesn't dismiss the possibility of competing in MMA for the experience.

“I think it would be kind of stupid not to be part of this world as well. I think it’s really interesting, but my focus is on boxing,” he said.

Silva's confidence in his boxing abilities was reinforced by sparring sessions with top-tier fighters like WBO and IBF middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and WBO Global super welterweight champion Slawa Spomer. These experiences have fueled his ambition to pursue gold in the boxing ring.

“I’ve also sparred with champions from Germany as well, Slawa Spomer, who’s also very tough. We did good sparring at Brickhouse in North Hollywood,” Silva recalled.

As Silva prepares for his upcoming title fight, he remains open to the idea of sharing a boxing card with his father, Anderson Silva, in the future. He even has a dream opponent in mind for “The Spider”—the legendary Roy Jones Jr., a fight his father has long desired.

“Fighting is air for my father, he can’t live without it,” Silva said.

For now, Gabriel Silva is focused on clinching his first boxing title. With respect for his opponent, Anthony Taylor, Silva is ready to face the challenge head-on and continue his journey toward becoming a world champion.