Vitor Belfort Designs New Glove for Boxing vs. MMA Crossover Bouts

A former Ultimate Fighting Championship great believes that boxers have too many advantages when MMA fighters cross over to the sweet science, and he wants to fix that.

“The Phenom” Vitor Belfort spoke on Wednesday with ex-UFC fighter Carlos Barreto and Sherdog about MMA's past, present and future. When the 46-year-old born in Rio de Janeiro discussed the early years of the sport along with fellow Carlson Gracie student Barreto, he presented a hybrid glove he created. This glove, similar to a training glove from a traditional martial art like karate, contains padding on top like a boxing glove but adds finger holes to allow for grappling. The weight of the glove will depend on the weight of the combatants, ranging from eight to 12 ounces. According to Belfort, it would even improve the odds for MMA fighters who traverse to boxing.

“The confrontation between boxing and MMA is already a huge success, but the time for boxing fighters to make some concessions has come,” Belfort declared. “And I’m not talking about takedowns, kicks, elbows and submissions, my proposal is the glove where you can grab, clinch [around the neck] and do hand-fighting, but it doesn’t permit [a] finger in the eye. That’s the legacy I want to leave for the sport, [making a hybrid] boxing martial art would join boxing and MMA allowing hand-fighting [and] clinches. I have no doubt that the fight would be much more dynamic for the fans and with risks for both sides.”

Barreto quickly agreed and pitched that more obstacles should be in place so that MMA fighters have other avenues to victory beyond punching.

“I’m talking about more hybrid challenges a long time,” Barreto noted. “If they don’t want kicks and ground fighting, at least takedowns.”

Belfort interrupted, fired up about how boxers seemed stuck in their traditions.

“Forget about that I tried the use of that glove with Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr. only allowing hand fighting and they denied immediately,” Belfort complained. “But it must change. [Conor] McGregor, myself, Anderson [Silva], [Francis] Ngannou, we all accept to fight 100% in their rules; it’s time for boxers to take some risks too.”

When the topic of Ngannou came up, as the former UFC heavyweight kingpin will face Anthony Joshua on March 8 in a boxing match, Belfort suggested that his glove idea would make a huge difference.

“I have no doubt that if Ngannou fought Anthony Joshua with that glove, allowing hand-fighting, he [would] win via knockout with an uppercut,” the Brazilian guaranteed.

Belfort plans on continuing his push to get his glove design accepted or approved by the boxing community, and he will be getting back in the ring soon whether he can use that glove or not. He would not reveal who his opponent would be but promised a huge name.

“Unfortunately, I can't give the name yet,” Belfort stated. “All I can say is that he is one of the biggest boxing legends of all time and also that we are negotiating to fight in the world fighting capital [of Las Vegas].”

While he could not say who his upcoming foe would be, he did rule out the name Wanderlei Silva, one of his bigger rivals throughout his career. Silva was recently named as an upcoming inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame, and even “The Phenom” had to give it up to “The Axe Murderer.”

“Totally fair,” he remarked. “I [was] moved to see Wanderlei being recognized for all he did for the sport. We have to face the fact that if it was not for me, Anderson and Wanderlei, the sport would [not have reached] the current [point where it is] in Brazil.”