{"id":295402,"date":"2025-11-19T18:49:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T18:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/295402\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T18:49:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T18:49:10","slug":"ex-ufc-champion-booked-to-defend-boxing-title-after-ending-historic-losing-streak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/295402\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-UFC champion booked to defend boxing title after ending historic losing streak"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"57\">More than eight years removed from his brief reign as interim UFC lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson will get the chance to finally defend a belt in his next boxing match. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5a\">One of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster during his lengthy run as one of the promotion\u2019s top lightweights, Ferguson exited the UFC last year on an eight-fight losing streak but returned to the win column in August <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fans-rejoice-tony-ferguson-ufc-champion-ends-historic-losing-streak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">when he stopped Nathaniel Bustamante<\/a> in his boxing debut. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5d\">The win saw Ferguson capture Misfits Boxing\u2019s interim middleweight title, and now <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MisfitsBoxing\/status\/1991204946885099947\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">the promotion has announced<\/a> that \u201cEl Cucuy\u201d will defend his belt on December 20 against Warren Spencer. <\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">El Cucuy vs The Mechanic \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n<p>Tony Ferguson and Warren Spencer go head to head for the MFB Interim Middleweight World Title \u2694\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>Get your tickets, link \ud83d\udd17 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wEHvxq7SL5\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/wEHvxq7SL5<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZH5ThWWZhg\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/ZH5ThWWZhg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Misfits Boxing (@MisfitsBoxing) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MisfitsBoxing\/status\/1991204946885099947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">November 19, 2025<\/a>Tony Ferguson Set To Defend Boxing Title At Misfits Mania<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5m\">The welterweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 in 2011, Ferguson won his first two UFC bouts after formally joining the promotion that year before he dropped a decision to Michael Johnson for his first Octagon setback. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5p\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-kicks-off-paramount-deal-banger-first-fight-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC reportedly kicks off new Paramount deal with banger first fight of 2026 <\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5s\">The Johnson fight turned out to be the last time Ferguson would taste defeat for more than six years, as he proceeded to go on a staggering 12-fight win streak starting in 2013 that included victories over Edson Barboza, UFC Hall of Famer Donald Cerrone, former UFC lightweight titleholders Rafael dos Anjos and Anthony Pettis, and a win over Kevin Lee at UFC 216 that saw \u201cEl Cucuy\u201d claim the promotion\u2019s interim lightweight belt. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/01kaep2tz71rjbjjwv9x.jpg\" alt=\"Tony Ferguson (red gloves) fights Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena.\" title=\"Tony Ferguson (red gloves) fights Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena.\" width=\"4779\" height=\"3186\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"61\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Tony Ferguson (red gloves) fights Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"65\">Fans sadly missed out on seeing Ferguson in a lightweight title bout <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/dana-white-reflects-legacy-nurmagomedov-family-ufc-322\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov<\/a> after the fight famously fell through on five different occasions, and a loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 249 kicked off what became an eight-fight skid in the UFC that concluded with a first-round submission loss to Michael Chiesa in August of last year. <\/p>\n<p>Dillon Danis Defends Misfits MMA Title On The Same Night As &#8220;El Cucuy&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6b\">Ferguson was initially scheduled to meet Dillon Danis in his first post-UFC outing with the short-lived Global Fight League, and when those plans fell through the 41-year-old made the jump to boxing and stopped Bustamante in the third round at MF &amp; DAZN X Series 22: Ring of Thrones. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6e\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/islam-makhachev-retakes-p4p-crown-ilia-topuria-ufc-322-masterclass\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Islam Makhachev retakes UFC\u2019s P4P crown from Ilia Topuria after UFC 322 masterclass<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6h\">The former UFC star will now look to defend his interim middleweight belt against Spencer, who went 1-2 in exhibition boxing matches in 2024 before he stopped Muganzi Hakim in the first round in April. Spencer made his MMA debut on the same Misfits Card where Ferguson defeated Bustamante, losing to Danis via guillotine choke in just 15 seconds in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/dillon-danis-fight-ksi-misfits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">a fight for the promotion\u2019s light heavyweight MMA belt<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/01kaep40hp5a4ndw64cx.jpg\" alt=\"Dillon Danis after his win over Max Humphrey during Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden.\" title=\"Dillon Danis after his win over Max Humphrey during Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden.\" width=\"4318\" height=\"2878\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6q\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Dillon Danis after his win over Max Humphrey during Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-15\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6u\">Danis will also look to defend his title at Misfits Mania in Dubai, UAE, taking on 12-fight MMA veteran Anthony Taylor, and fans can expect that Ferguson and Danis will almost certainly exchange some words both before and after their respective bouts on December 20. <\/p>\n<p>More MMA Knockout News<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"70\">\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-knockout-machine-ateba-gautier-announcement-next-fight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC\u2019s hottest knockout machine teases announcement for next fight<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"73\">\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-amanda-nunes-triple-champ-ufc-return-fight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMA legend Amanda Nunes plots historic triple-champ bid after UFC return fight<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"76\">\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/tracy-cortez-defiant-first-statement-ufc-322-erin-blanchfield\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tracy Cortez shares defiant first statement after UFC 322 loss to Erin Blanchfield<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"79\">\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/islam-makhachev-gets-chilling-warning-ilia-topuria-ufc-322-title-win\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Islam Makhachev gets chilling warning from Ilia Topuria after UFC 322 title win<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7c\">Stick with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMAKnockout<\/a> for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7f\">Follow MMAKnockout on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MMAKnockoutSI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/UFCKnockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mmaknockoutsi\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than eight years removed from his brief reign as interim UFC lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson will get&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295403,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-295402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-boxing","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295402"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295402\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}