By Brian Mazique Contributor James Fearn
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 26: Eddie Hearn, Boxing promoter and Chairman of Matchroom Sport is … More interviewed after the Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois IBF Heavyweight World Title fight announcement press conference at OVO Arena Wembley on June 26, 2024 in London, England. Queensberry, Matchroom and Riyadh Season announce a show at Wembley Stadium in September. (Photo by James Fearn/Getty Images)
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When former UFC strawweight Molly McCann retired from MMA in March, she didn鈥檛 say she was done fighting. On Tuesday, she announced she鈥檇 signed with Matchroom Boxing, which is led by Eddie Hearn.
“This was always the dream,” McCann told DAZN.
McCann was an accomplished amateur boxer who chose MMA because it made the most business sense at the time. At 35, and having reached her ceiling as a mixed martial artist, McCann has chosen to return to her roots.
鈥淎s everyone knows, I鈥檝e boxed before,” McCann said. “My weight didn鈥檛 get added to the Olympic Games and the only other option was MMA. MMA has given me a phenomenal life, one that boxing could never give me, but my love was always in the squared circle. I cannot wait to fight, just show everyone the pedigree of boxing that I’ve got. People will probably just think I’m going to run in and try to take chins off, which is correct! That is what I’m going to do. But in an educated manner.鈥
Here鈥檚 a look at the interview.
In the Octagon, McCann was known for her all-action style. While she recorded two of the more memorable KO finishes in MMA in 2022 (back-to-back spinning backfist KO wins), her Achilles鈥 heel was always the grappling.
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 22: Molly McCann of England is introduced before facing in their women’s … More flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night at The O2 Arena on July 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
McCann鈥檚 record in MMA was 14鈥8, with four of those losses coming by submission. That includes the loss she took in what turned out to be her retirement fight against the flamboyant Alexia Thainara.
McCann is expected to compete in the bantamweight division. Because of her pedigree and the power of Matchroom, McCann is expected to move quickly toward a title shot in her division.
Dina Thorslund is considered the No. 1 fighter in the division. She was scheduled to defend her title against Shurreta Metcalf on the massive July 11 card in New York, headlined by Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III.
However, Thorslund had to pull out of the fight after discovering she is pregnant with her second child. Cherneka Johnson is stepping up in her place. If McCann makes her debut sometime soon, it wouldn鈥檛 be crazy to see her challenging for a world title by the end of 2026鈥攊f not earlier next year.
McCann knows she is rekindling the boxing journey at a later stage in her career, and things must move with a sense of urgency.
McCann had a large fanbase with the UFC because of her fighting style and charismatic personality. She figures to carry a similar following as a professional boxer鈥攅specially if she wins. If McCann finds success in boxing, there is a formula there for her to become one of the breakout stars in women鈥檚 boxing in 2026.
Hearn and Matchroom see it and will likely do everything in their power to put her in a position to shine. McCann鈥檚 announcement comes just a few days after another former UFC star returned to boxing.
Holly Holm, a former world champion in both sports and a likely future member of both Hall of Fames (she鈥檚 already in for boxing), signed with Jake Paul鈥檚 Most Valuable Promotions. Holm looked great in her return to boxing on Saturday when she scored a lopsided unanimous decision win over Yolanda Vega.
In case you鈥檙e wondering, Holm is likely too big to clash with McCann in boxing鈥攖hough that fight would be a draw. We鈥檒l see who McCann gets in her Matchroom debut.
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