Picture Credit: Twitter
Son of UFC legend Anderson Silva, Kalyl Silva, did no harm to his father's reputation in his amateur kickboxing debut at California's AIM Sportsplex. Silva only threw a single strike, a low-kick to his opponent's midsection which turned out to be enough to win the fight, ending the match then and there. The same was concluded after the referee officially called a stoppage at the 00:12 mark of the first round itself since the downed fighter wasn't able to continue.
Kalyl's walkout reminded the spectators of a young Anderson Silva, who used to make his way into the octagon in quite a similar fashion. The youngster donned a hoodie with Anderson Silva's trademark logo, bouncing while loosening up his hands. It was a sight to behold as Kalyl brought out the inner Spider by displaying a quick and precise striking technique.
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It is worth outlining that Kalyl used to be a pro soccer player with the United Premier Soccer League. However, from his recent choices, it seems like the 22-year-old is now keen on following in the footsteps of his iconic father with his foray into combat sports. Kalyl has seemingly also inherited some talent from the former UFC middleweight champion but would have to prove himself for a sustained period of time and against all kinds of opponents before reaching somewhat close to the achievements of his legendary father.
Meanwhile, Kalyl's older brother and Anderson Silva's first child, Gabriel, is also in the family business. The 24-year-old is undefeated as an amateur and already has three professional kickboxing bouts under his belt.
"Before, I used to get really anxious, but I’m used to it now," Kalyl said while speaking about their journey in an interview with UFC.com.
"He’s very prepared and I’m sure he’ll do great in the octagon and do his job. It’s just crazy. I keep thinking as I lay down on the bed before I sleep about all of this, and I just can’t find the words to describe it. We used to live in a one-bedroom house, he used to work at a restaurant, and now here we are. It’s just crazy," he added.