Just a mere three months after defending her Bellator MMA Championship title, Cris Cyborg is switching gears back to boxing. Fresh off her victory over Cat Zingano at Bellator 300, Cyborg is now set to headline WFC 163 in a boxing bout against the formidable Kelsey Wickstrum on January 19th, 2024, at the Pechanga Resorts Casino, Temecula, California. Wickstrum, currently USA’s #3 in Women’s Professional Boxing and boasting an undefeated record, is certainly no walkover. Her last outing saw her clinch a TKO win against Sudana Moore. This upcoming clash, set at 154lbs and spanning 6 rounds of 2 minutes each, promises to be an exciting spectacle.
Cyborg, a 16-time MMA Grand Slam Champion and current Bellator MMA titleholder, isn’t new to the boxing ring. She marked her professional boxing debut with an 8-round win over Simone Silva, the South Brazil National Boxing Champion, back in September 2022. This victory in Curitiba, Brazil, earned her the FMS women’s professional belt. Following that, she secured a co-main event win against Gabrielle Holloway in a night headlined by Terence Crawford.
Discussing her return to boxing, Cyborg shared, “I’m looking at this as a crucial step towards a World Title in Boxing. I respect Kelsey’s experience and see this fight as a significant test. I’m still honing my boxing skills and not rushing my journey to a World Title. When that title shot comes, I’ll be ready.”
World Fighting Championships, the promoter of WFC 163, is known for showcasing the talents of top combat sports athletes across MMA, Boxing, and Kickboxing. Having organized over 125 events across various U.S. locations, WFC continues to be a prominent stage for fighters. Additional fights for the WFC 163 event in Temecula, California, will be announced soon.
For fans eager to witness this high-intensity boxing fight, doors will open at 6 pm with the first fight starting at 7 pm. Tickets are set to go on sale on November 14th.
For more details and ticket purchases, visit CrisCyborg.Com.