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UFC legend Anderson Silva sent shockwaves across the combat sports world with his impressive upset win over Julio Cesar Chavez. Jr. in his return to pro-boxing at 'Tribute to the Kings'. After eight rounds, 'The Spider' bagged a split decision victory against the former boxing champion.
Two of the judges scored the contest 77-75 in favor of Anderson Silva, while another official gave the nod to 77-75 for Julio Cesar Chavez. Jr. The official results stirred up controversy as many believed Anderson Silva deserved a unanimous decision win.
After spending 14 years in the octagon, the former longtime UFC middleweight champion has previously expressed his desire to return to the squared circle. Many believed that at 46-years-old, Anderson Silva would not stand a chance against the Mexican boxer who held a 52-5-1 record coming into the fight.
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After putting on an odds-shattering performance, a huge segment of combat sports fans and personalities were impressed with Anderson Silva's stellar performance. Check out the best Twitter reactions to the Brazilian's victory over Chavez Jr.
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Former UFC champions congratulate Anderson Silva
Former UFC champions Daniel Cormier, Chris Cyborg, and Frank Mir were elated by Anderson Silva's victory. Cormier was happy to see Silva get the job done, while Mir and Cyborg called him a "legend" and a "GOAT."
UFC strawweight Alex Chambers thought Silva looked phenomenal in the boxing ring, while ONE Championship featherweight Gurdarshan Mangat tweeted that he's "absolutely loving" what he saw out of 'The Spider.'
MMA broadcasters were thrilled by Anderson Silva's win
Combat sports journalists Ariel Helwani, Marc Raimondi, and Damon Martin chimed in as the fight went on. Helwani and Martin pointed out the obvious, saying Anderson Silva has made one of the most successful transitions from MMA to boxing so far.
Shaun Al-Shatti and Marc Raimondi, meanwhile, enumerated the reasons why Silva's win was so impressive.
MMA personalities greet Anderson Silva
Former UFC broadcaster Mike Goldberg used his catchphrases to congratulate Anderson Silva. He added that he wasn't surprised that the former UFC pound-for-pound king was able to pull off an upset.
Referee 'Big' John McCarthy, on the other hand, was happy that the decision went in Silva's favor. But he wasn't too pleased with the fact that one judge awarded the nod to Chavez Jr.
Mexican boxing icons react to Anderson Silva's win
Boxing megastars Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. had contrasting reactions to the decision. After the fight, Canelo immediately approached Silva to congratulate him, while Chavez Sr. was naturally disappointed by his son's loss.
