Antonio Mauricio DeSilva

Fighter profile of Antonio Mauricio DeSilva by John L Sullivan

CFC 441

Canadian Fighting Championship’s 441: DeSilva vs Proudhon is still a couple of weeks away, but Tokyo is abuzz for this light heavyweight title matchup. We were able to sit down with the champ, Antonio Mauricio DeSilva, in between training sessions to get his thoughts on championships, the CFC, and life in general.

Antonio Mauricio DeSilva from the beautiful island of Santa Catarina, thanks for sitting down with us. Off your successful light heavyweight defense against Mike Holmes Jr at CFC 437, you are now the top-ranked fighter in the organization. Success is not new to you, but this one has to feel good after leaving Synchronicity on a losing note.

How has the organization been treating you?

“Excellent, Dead Disney, the new org owner now and my management team worked together back in the old days. I was ready to retire after Syn’, but I like these guys and I love to fight, so I said one more little run.”

Great mat defense against Holmes, a pretty good submission fighter. At 40 years-old, what’s your secret?

“My team, and my never say die mentality. That’s it. I’m Brazilian and I come from a fighting family, I was born ready. My management always has a good game-plan for me and amazing training camps leading up to every bout.”

Your next opponent, PJ Proudhon, has a heavy set of fists. How are you going to avoid being his next knockout victim?

“ I’m a capoeira guy, so obviously people don’t outpoint me in fights. I know what he’s looking for, the big KO, but I’m not all that easy to knock out you see. In 44 fights I’ve only been stopped by strikes 5 times ever and 3 of those came at 185 where my weight cut killed me. At 205, my natural weight class, I’m very heard to beat, even at 40 years old. His only shot in this fight is a Hail Mary lucky punch and he knows that. I don’t get hit much and you can’t hurt what you can’t hit.”

The light heavyweight division is, pardon the pun, fairly light. Is there anyone you have an eye on?

“No, I don’t keep track of anything besides the gym and my own training. I’m going to be a Co-Head Coach with my teammate and Syn’ Hall Of Famer, Manny Puno in the near future at Canadian Elite Bruins Gym, which will be my next chapter.
 
We will see what happens.. If there is a legit contender and it makes sense for my career I’ll take another fight or two, or three who knows. I had a rematch clause in place with my contract so obviously if he lucks out and beats me I want revenge, but on the other hand I don’t want to steal org hype so yeah, I don’t have long left but I’m just taking it one fight at a time, no one else concerns me.
 
Thanks”

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