Featherweight great Jose Aldo is rumored to make his professional boxing debut much earlier than expected.
Aldo officially retired from mixed martial arts in September after nearly 20 years in combat sports. Now 36, Aldo will step into the squared circle for the first time. As reported by MMA Fighting, Aldo is scheduled to debut in the sweet science at Upper Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 10. Details regarding the bout are yet to be released, including opponent, number of rounds, and weight class.
Aldo has been actively training in boxing since before his retirement from MMA. He has previously discussed the possibility of boxing, calling it a dream he has wanted to make a reality for some time.
“It was always a dream I had in my life, I never hid that from anyone,” Aldo said on MMA Fighting’s podcast Trocação Franca. “It was always a dream. But let’s see. Everybody says I’m still young, that I have a few years [left].”
Jose Aldo will enter the squared circle 🥊
More from @guicruzzz 📰 https://t.co/Q7BCGPbsl6 pic.twitter.com/8NkttyHlbi
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 8, 2023
Jose Aldo Retired as the Greatest Featherweight of All Time
Jose Aldo retired from MMA with an overall record of 31-8. In 2009, Aldo captured the WEC featherweight title at just 23 years old. A year later, WEC would be absorbed by the UFC making ‘Junior’ the promotion’s first 145-pound champion. He would defend the title nine times in total before suffering a first-round knockout against Conor McGregor at UFC 194. It was Aldo’s first loss in more than a decade.
Aldo would go on to reclaim the featherweight championship in his next fight, defeating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200. Aldo earned wins in three of his last four bouts before opting to hang up the 4oz gloves in exchange for a pair of 16oz ones.
‘Junior’ scored victories over some of the biggest names in both featherweight and bantamweight, including Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes, The Korean Zombie, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, and Rob Font.
