After a knockout win over Evander Holyfield in an exhibition boxing
match last September, Vitor
Belfort is scheduled to make his combat sports return against
another boxing champ, Chad Dawson, at Triad Combat 2 on Feb. 26 in
Houston.
At recent press conference for Brazilian media, Belfort revealed
that Oscar De La Hoya was the first opponent option, but “The
Golden Boy” refused the bout.
“We were scheduled to fight when [De La Hoya] got sick, and
Holyfield accepted the invitation. As soon as the invitation to
Triad 2 came, we first tried Oscar, but there was no way to
convince him, so we got Dawson,” Belfort said.
Triad MMA features a hybrid of boxing and MMA, but knees, kicks and
elbows are not allowed in the fights. According to Belfort, Triad
is the first event not to favor either side.
“We are not going to fight boxing with them and they are not coming
to take kicks in the face from us,” he said. “And the format of the
ring is good for both. They are more used to ropes and we are more
used to sides [such as in an Octagon]. Also boxing doesn’t have
head fighting, hand fighting and the clinch. I’m sure
that if MMA fighters like [Junior dos
Santos] and myself work on that, we will take advantage of that
aspect.”
Belfort hopes to bring a Triad Combat event to Brazil in the near
future.
“I said 25 years ago that MMA was coming to stay, many people from
media criticized me and (TV station owner) Silvio
Santos didn’t want to listen to me back then. He could be even
richer,” Belfort said. “I ask you guys to listen to me again: Triad
has come to stay and bring the fighters what they need. Brazil
deserves to have its first Triad event in 2022.”
During the press conference, Belfort also addressed the heavily
criticized MMA payment system.
“MMA is still not a sport, it’s some kind of slavery that forces
all the employees to sign the contract on their terms,” Belfort
said. “There is not a association to protect the fighters’ rights.
Triad is going in the other direction. It’s following in the
direction of Olympic sports.
“Triad is a new sport that is here to stay and not to compete with
anyone. The guy who does MMA can do the Triad, the wrestler can do
the Triad, judo fighters can compete in Triad. So welcome
everybody. I truly think everybody will come and soon Triad will be
an Olympic sport.”