JOSE ALDO WINS HIS PRO BOXING DEBUT & SAYS HE HAS AN AGREEMENT TO BOX FLOYD MAYWEATHER – VIDEO

JOSE ALDO WINS HIS PRO BOXING DEBUT & CLAIMS HE HAS AN AGREEMENT TO BOX FLOYD MAYWEATHER

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (February 11th, 2023)– On Friday night, February 10, 2023, former UFC World Featherweight champion Jose ‘Junior’ Aldo won his professional boxing debut at 140 pounds, outpointing Emmanuel Navarette over six rounds at Shooto Brazil Boxing, Nova Uniao Upper Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aired live on UFC Fight Pass. The winless Navarette outpointed by Aldo is not to be confused with 37-1 Mexican super featherweight contender Emanuel (one m) ‘Vaquero’ Navarette who stopped Liam Wilson earlier this month.

Aldo, age 36, 31-8 with 17 knockouts, Team Nova Uniao, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, who last appearance in The Octagon was a five round unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 20, 2022, won by scores of 60-54, 60-54, and 59 -55 on the three judges’ scorecards. The sanctioned bout has yet to appear on BoxRec online.

Aldo has agreed to terms for a sanctioned exhibition boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. later in 2023 in the United States. In an interview with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Aldo proclaimed “(Mayweather’s) side has already agreed (to the exhibition). My side (Team Nova Uniao has agreed) too. We’re now waiting for (Floyd Mayweather Promotions) to get the deal done.” It might be an exhibition on (Floyd Mayweather’s) side, but not for me (it’s a real boxing bout). It is punch to the face like always. He (Floyd) knows that (I will be coming to fight).”

Mayweather, now retired, has remained somewhat active in professional exhibitions fought at various weights. Floyd has had five exhibition bouts of recent: with kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa; with MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura; with social influencer Logan Paul; and with social influencer Deji Olatunji. This exhibition bout however will be Floyd’s first foray into the world of the UFC, and will be against a considerably more dangerous and equally world class opponent. At 31-8 MMA versus Floyd’s 50-0 boxing record, the younger and still very active Junior Aldo’s call out of Floyd, mega money and pay-per-view aside, is definitely not a social call. Anything less than preparation for a world championship match for this one could prove a mismatch for either participant.