[ad_1]
PHOENIX — Anderson Silva has been cleared to compete in a boxing match Saturday in opposition to Jake Paul after his feedback from an interview almost upended the bout.
The Arizona Boxing & MMA Fee agreed to let Silva struggle throughout a particular assembly Thursday evening, after requiring the MMA legend to take further medical exams a day earlier.
Fee chairman Scott Fletcher mentioned on the assembly that he attended the Paul-Silva information convention Thursday and got here away impressed by how Silva was capable of articulate himself whereas answering questions. Fletcher mentioned that Silva submitted a “pristine” MRI and he was “utterly comfy” with letting the previous longtime UFC middleweight champion struggle.
Dr. Ara Feinstein, a commissioner who can be a surgeon and a ringside doctor, mentioned he reviewed Silva’s neurological report and MRI and noticed no points with them.
“After I have a look at all of these issues collectively, I haven’t got any extra issues with Mr. Silva preventing Saturday than I’d have every other fighter,” Feinstein mentioned.
Silva, 47, instructed MMA Weekly in an interview that was recorded final month and aired earlier this week that he was knocked out twice throughout his coaching camp, elevating regulatory purple flags. Silva’s staff despatched out a press release this week stating that Silva’s native language is not English — he’s from Brazil and his first language is Portuguese — and Silva misspoke.
On Wednesday, Silva instructed ESPN that he was simply joking within the interview and the fee made him do extra medical testing after commissioners noticed the remarks.
“After I’m speaking in regards to the knockout, it is simply to assist the [teammates] who assist me, to [lift] them up,” Silva mentioned. “I used to be simply joking. It is loopy, but it surely’s high quality.”
Paul mentioned after the information convention Thursday that he had “no concern” in any respect about how the assembly would go and was assured he’d be preventing Silva on Saturday.
Source link