Former UFC champion Jose Aldo set for pro boxing debut in February
Former UFC featherweight champion and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Jose Aldo is set for his professional boxing debut.
Aldo, 36, will step into the boxing ring to face Argentina’s Alberto Emmanuel Zambrano on Feb. 10 in Rio de Janeiro. The bout will take place under the Shooto Brazil Boxing banner, and will be a six-round fight at 140 pounds. UFC Fight Pass will stream the event live.
Aldo’s trainer announced the news of the opponent’s name on Instagram.
Zambrano has fought three times as a professional boxer, losing each match, according to BoxRec. His most recent appearance in the ring was against Alexis Nahuel Torres on Nov. 13, 2020, a fight he lost by TKO in the second round.
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Aldo retired from MMA competition after a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278. Although he has stepped away from the sport, he still believes he could make another run at bantamweight, where he spent the final six bouts of his 20-fight UFC career competing.
During the UFC 283 broadcast, the promotion announced Aldo would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as a part of the 2023 class. The date for the induction ceremony has yet to be announced, although it typically occurs during July’s “International Fight Week” in Las Vegas.
