Ex-UFC star Molly McCann announces surprise switch to boxing after emotional retirement from MMA

Former UFC star Molly McCann has made the surprise switch to boxing and is already eyeing world title success after signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

Liverpudlian McCann bid an emotional farewell from MMA when she hung up the gloves at UFC London in March, announcing her retirement after suffering a first-round defeat to Alexia Thainara.

“Meatball” Molly left the cage with a 14-8 record having blazed the trail for British women in the sport. She was the first female fighter from the UK to compete in the UFC all the way back in 2013, and went on to earn three performance of the night bonuses during her career, the most in the promotion’s flyweight history.

She now makes the leap to the squared circle in a move that she says was “always the dream”, and is making sure not to limit her ambitions from the outset.

McCann said: "I boxed before. My weight didn't get added to the Olympics so the only other option was MMA. MMA has given me a phenomenal life, one that boxing could never give me.

"I can't wait to fight and show everyone the pedigree of boxing I've got. People probably think I am going to run in and try and take chins off. Which is correct, but in an educated manner.

"The ultimate goal is to be world champion and not for some phoney promotion. I've got to earn my stripes like everyone else. (I want) a world title within eight fights."

McCann is one of the UK’s most high-profile fighters, becoming engrained in the combat culture through her ever-entertaining friendship with fellow Liverpool-bred UFC star Paddy Pimblett.

She joins up with Matchroom promoter Hearn, who echoes McCann’s self-belief to go right to the very top.

"What's important to know, she really is a boxer first,” Hearn added. “You see a lot of fighters try switch from UFC to boxing because they've already built their brand but they're not actually elite at the discipline.

"It used to be a lot easier to win a world title in women's boxing, now it's a lot harder. We're talking about Molly starting around the bantamweight level, there's some really good fighters there.

"She's not a novice, because she has amateur pedigree. The most important thing is to stay active.”

McCann nor Matchroom are yet to confirm when or who she will be fighting in her first professional boxing bout.