Former UFC contender Tyson Pedro has officially announced his foray into boxing following his retirement from mixed martial arts. This transition comes with a surprising revelation about his newfound passion for the sport.
Pedro’s debut in boxing will see him face off against the formidable Australian heavyweight champion, Kris Terzievski. The bout is scheduled for June 12th and will be exclusively available on Stan’s pay-per-view platform. The showdown is set to take place at Sydney’s renowned Hordern Pavilion.
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Terzievski is known for his victory against NRL icon Paul Gallen, and presents a formidable challenge. However, Pedro welcomes this tough opponent with open arms.
Pedro’s sentiment is clear: he aims to earn respect through competition. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, he emphasized his refusal to back down from a challenge.
Pedro stated: “Would you respect me if I took a walkover? I think if I had done that in front of the Australian boxing fans they would have taken the p**s out of me because I was taking the piss out of them.”
Pedro has aspirations of becoming the WBC boxing champion. He acknowledges that until recently, he was unaware of the existence of the bridgerweight division.
Introduced by the WBC in 2020, this division serves as a bridge between heavyweight and cruiserweight categories. It has a weight limit of 224 pounds (101 kilograms).
He said: “I hadn’t heard of it… but when we spoke to Mauricio Sulaimán (president of the WBC). He said bridgerweight was the go.”
Pedro has discussed boxing Terzievski with professional boxer Paul Gallen, but he is unsure whether his counsel would be really beneficial.
He explains, “I couldn’t really take tips from Paul because Paul is such a different fighter to me. I can ask him how hard he hits – but you can also ask Paul how hard I hit. We’ve sparred rounds.”
Pedro was formerly a top amateur boxer. He says the return to the ring is going smoothly.
He stated: “Using the different energy systems has been very noticeable. The shorter rounds are more explosive, and it suits my style.”
Pedro’s decision to challenge himself against Terzievski has garnered admiration from boxing veterans. Danny Green praised Pedro for having the guts to box such a formidable opponent.
He said: “Tyson could not have picked a harder target for his return to boxing from UFC. Tyson was an amateur NSW Intermediate Champion before he moved to MMA. Terzievski is the current Australian Heavyweight Champion and number 5 in the WBC rankings. He is experienced, clever, cagey and tough.”
“He’s a Southpaw which makes him awkward and he has a wealth of experience in the boxing ring. I couldn’t convince Tyson to take an easier fight first up. He’s up for the challenge and wants to make clear to the boxing world that he’s the real deal.”
“He is here to shake things up in Australian boxing and only wants the toughest challenge. He has proven he has the X factor and he has the skill, power and motivation to win this contest.”
In embracing this new chapter of his combat career, Tyson Pedro demonstrates his unwavering determination and ambition. Despite the challenges ahead, Pedro’s commitment to proving himself in the boxing world remains steadfast.