- Michael ‘Venom’ Page, 39, has signed a multi-year, multi-fight deal with MF Sports, with his boxing debut date and opponent not yet announced
- The Hackney fighter has a 26-3 MMA record with 13 knockouts and went 5-1 in the UFC, most recently beating Nursulton Ruziboev on a decision last month
- I think Page wins his first couple of boxing fights comfortably, but the real tests will tell us if this is a proper career or a sideshow
Michael Page Signs With MF Sports
Right then. A big one from the crossover world. Michael ‘Venom’ Page has signed a multi-year, multi-fight agreement with MF Sports, the Misfits operation, and the plan is for the Hackney man to box. No debut date, no opponent and no weight class have been announced yet, with fans pointed to the Misfits Boxing Instagram for the details. Page himself said he is "coming to show the boxing world what I can do".
Let's not beat around the bush: this is a statement signing. Page became a free agent after his UFC contract ended, and by all accounts several promotions wanted him. MF Sports got their man, and a fighter with Page's profile gives them a proper headline act.
What Michael Page Brings To Boxing
He is 39, from Hackney, with a 26-3 MMA record and 13 knockouts. He made his name at Bellator before going 5-1 in the UFC, and his last outing was a three-round decision over Nursulton Ruziboev at a UFC Fight Night in September. That is not a man coming off the scrapheap. That is a serious professional who has decided to change sports on his own terms.
The style is the big question. Page is famous for his wild, hands-low, showboating movement, and in MMA the threat of kicks and takedowns made his opponents hesitate. In a boxing ring, none of that protection exists. Every Venom Page jab, every dip and swerve, will be judged against trained boxers who live for the counter.
My Prediction
Here is where I land. Page's speed and unusual angles will make him look special in his first two boxing fights, against opposition picked to suit the show. Make no mistake, the real story starts when he meets a technical boxer who refuses to be mesmerised. At 39, he does not have long to learn the craft from the ground up. I think he is a genuine draw, a fun addition to the card, and a fighter who needs a smart matchmaker more than anything else.
If you know, you know: crossover boxing works best when the matchmaking is honest. I hope MF Sports gives Venom a proper chance to prove himself.