Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis is set to return to the boxing ring to face ex-UFC fighter Chris Avila in a six-round bout at the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing match on June 1 in Los Angeles.
Anthony Pettis is stepping back into the boxing ring. That’s right, folks. He’s set to face ex-UFC fighter, Chris Avila. This showdown is part of the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing event. It’s happening on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Sources in the know confirmed to MMA Fighting that the bout will last six rounds. It’s going to be contested at 175 pounds.
Pettis, once a UFC lightweight champion, has been shaking things up in the combat sports world. His recent years have been anything but predictable. He had a 1-4 record in the PFL, then switched gears to boxing.
In boxing, he scored a majority decision over Roy Jones Jr. last April. Remember that one? Then, in December, he faced off with Benson Henderson for a third time. This time, it was at Karate Combat. Pettis walked away with a unanimous decision.
Chris Avila, on the other hand, is best known in the MMA world as a training partner of Diaz. His runs in the UFC and Bellator weren’t exactly successful. He managed to scrape together an 8-9 professional MMA record overall.
But 2021 marked a change for Avila. He returned to boxing and hasn’t lost since. He’s been on a roll, racking up five straight wins on various influencer boxing cards.
The Pettis vs. Avila bout is part of the Diaz vs. Masvidal pay-per-view. It’s going to set you back $79.99. The event is brought to you by Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing Promotions.
Finally, a shoutout to Mike Heck. He contributed to this report.