Cris Cyborg becomes Professional Boxing Champion

21 years into her combative sports career, there are not many things that Cris Cyborg hasn’t accomplished.  An 18x MMA World Champion with Championship belts in every major organization including the UFC, PFL MMA, Bellator, Invicta FC, and Strikeforce, Cris Cyborg is considered one of the greatest combat sports athletes ever.  A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, Cris Cyborg is a 2x IBJJ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion in the Kimono and an ADCC Bronze Medalist.  As a Professional Muay Thai fighter she challenged for the Lion Fight World Title losing a 5 round decision against a prime Jorina Baars.  Competing in free style wrestling she owns a win over Brazilian Olympic silver medalist Aline Ferreira, and now the combat sports legend adds a Professional Boxing World Championship to her resume.

Headlining Rafael Justino’s Nacao Cyborg 15 event in Curitiba Brazil, Cyborg faced 70 fight veteran Paulina Cardona of Colombia for the WIBA Super Welterweight World Championship.  Cyborg who was 7-0 competing in Boxing heading into the bout used forward pressure and heavy punches to bring a stop to the fight before the start of the 3rd round as Paulina Cardona failed to answer the bell at the start of round 3.

With the victory, Cyborg captured the WIBA World Championshp belt, a prestigious belt with a long history in women’s professional boxing with previous WIBA champions including Laila Ali, Holly Holm, Amanda Serrano, Ann Wolfe, and many more.

Already holding the PFL MMA Featherweight World Championship, Cris Cyborg made history as the first fighter to hold a major professional MMA and Professional Boxing World Championship at the same time.  Immediately after the victory, Cris Cyborg issued a challenge to Claressa Shields who has gone back and forth with Cris Cyborg but has been unwilling to meet the MMA now Boxing World Champion in the ring for a fight.