FORMER light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver has come out of retirement at the age of 52 to box ex-UFC star Frank Mir.
The Magic Man revealed earlier this week he’d inked a deal to return to the squared circle, which he le last graced in 2015.
And early on Friday morning, it was announced the former two-weight champion’s opponent for his comeback fight would be former UFC heavyweight king Mir.
Shortly after the announcement of the fight, Mir tweeted: “I am a competitor. I have been all my life.
“I take on challenges to grow and better myself as a person.
“I have always wanted to test myself in the boxing ring so when this opportunity arose I jumped on it.
“See you April 17th. Antonio Tarver.”
During the latest episode of his Phone Booth Fighting podcast, the two-time UFC heavyweight champion added: “Everybody knows I’ve been signed to BKFC.
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“So I’ve been in the gym working a lot of boxing because of bare-knuckle.
“An opportunity arose where somebody arose where somebody was kind of like, “Hey, would you do a full boxing match against a former world champion?”
“I was like, ‘Absolutely.’ I’m up for challenges. I think obviously it forces you to push yourself and extend.
“At the end of the day, it makes me a better warrior all around – and a better coach for (my daughter) Bella. It got presented to me.
“April 17, would I be willing to take on former light heavyweight champion of the world Antonio Tarver.”
Tarver’s clash with Mir, 41, will be his first outing since his split draw with Steve Cunningham in August 2015.
Submission specialist Mir, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since beating Roy Nelson at Bellator 231 in October 2019.
Tarver vs Mir will serve as an appetiser for Jake Paul’s showdown with former UFC welterweight Ben Askren.
The YouTuber’s clash with the former ONE Championship and Bellator 170lb champion will take place in Atlanta.
A venue for the contest, which is being promoter by Triller, has yet to be announced.
