Remember [autotag]Alan Belcher[/autotag]?
The UFC middleweight contender from the 2010s who fought the likes of Michael Bisping, Yushin Okami, and others? Yeah, that’s the one.
Fast forward to 2021 and Belcher, like many of his MMA counterparts, has gotten the itch to compete again. Last week, he competed in a boxing match for top Mississippi regional promotion Summit FC – and let me tell you there is nothing “middleweight” about the man any more.
Belcher, 37, is in absolutely freakish shape. Sure, when he competed in the UFC from 2006 to 2013, he wasn’t in bad shape by any means. But now? He’s an absolute monster – a freakishly strong-looking heavyweight.
Here I was, thinking I was above the pack because I moved up a couple weights of dumbbells for my bicep curls over the pandemic. Meanwhile, Belcher goes and adds two weight classes’ worth of bulking muscle to his frame.
I have to respect anyone that puts on a pair of gloves to compete in a professional boxing match – let alone against a hulking 2021 version of Alan Belcher. So shoutout to his opponent [autotag]Ryan Shough[/autotag], who is clearly one tough mofo.
But Nov. 6, there was no stopping Belcher as he finished Shough in Round 2 after a few knockdowns. The match was Belcher’s professional boxing debut.
I’m not sure what Belcher’s aspirations are from here on out, but good for him for truly reinventing himself and starting off with something new. It seems like perhaps there’s a little more in this for him than an old combat sports athlete who can’t help but scratch the competitive itch for sh*ts and gigs – so good for him!
Next time Belcher fights, you bet I’m tuning in!
Watch Alan Belcher’s professional boxing debut in its entirety in the video above – and check out the entire event below, including rising prospect Hannah Guy, who defeated Valerie Loureda earlier this year.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
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