Anderson Silva and Anthony Joshua came face-to-face for the first time on Friday, and it was nothing but respect between the two.
Joshua stole the show in Miami with a knockout win over Jake Paul. But even at 50 years old, Silva managed to grab headlines of his own, delivering the first-ever Netflix knockout against former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
The two met backstage after their fights while heading to their press conferences. Joshua was speaking with Daily Mail when they crossed paths and shared a warm exchange.
Anderson Silva and Anthony Joshua share a warm moment after their first meeting
Even though Silva and Joshua had both been involved in the build-up to the event, including sharing the stage at Wednesday’s press conference, their first real interaction did not happen until later in the week.
During an interview with Daily Mail, ‘AJ’ crossed paths with the Brazilian legend and told him: “You know what’s good about you? You’re not only a good fighter but you’re an amazing person.”
Silva took it well, replying: “I improved a lot, thank you.”
The conversation then shifted when Joshua noticed Silva’s glasses and asked if they were new video recording specs. Silva replied simply that he just “can’t see”.
Joshua kept things light: “Well done today. I saw, we were watching. You going to fight again? You going to beat up your son some more?”
Silva laughed along, replying: “That’s the hard part, training with the kids, but congratulations, God bless you.”
Joshua is looking ahead to a February fight before finally taking on Tyson Fury later in 2026. Meanwhile, Silva has his sights set on a trilogy bout against Chris Weidman.
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