4-time UFC veteran Taylor Lapilus turns attention to boxing, picks up debut win

Despite posting a 3-1 mark in the UFC, French bantamweight Taylor Lapilus (11-2) believes his future may lie in a ring, rather than a cage.

The 25-year-old “Double Impact” recently made his professional boxing debut, picking up a four-round decision win over 49-fight journeyman Heri Andriyanto in Singapore.

Lapilus is a member of Paris’ MMA Factory, where he trains alongside the likes of Karl Amoussou, Mickael Lebout, Christian M’Pumbu and, until his recent move to Las Vegas, Francis Ngannou. Lapilus hopes to make a return to the UFC at some point but says his current focus is on the squared circle.

“I will probably be back in the UFC at some point of my career,” Lapilus stated. “But for now, I will stick to boxing and keep my focus in my new professional career for a couple fights and see how things go.”

Lapilus made his UFC debut in April 2015 at UFC Fight Night 64, scoring a decision win over Taiwan’s Rocky Lee. He returned two months later at UFC Fight Night 69, earning a TKO win over Japanese prospect Yuta Sasaki.

Lapilus suffered his lone UFC debut in November 2015, suffering a decision defeat at the hands of Mexican standout Erik Perez. Lapilus fought for the final time under the UFC banner in September 2016, scoring a decision win over Brazil’s Leandro Issa. That bout marked the conclusion of Lapilus’ UFC contract, and company officials didn’t tender a new offer.

Lapilus’ lone MMA loss outside the UFC came in a 2013 fight with the undefeated Magomed Bibulatov, who actually made his octagon debut in April, scoring a decision win over Jenel Lausa.

“It’s important to rebound and rebound well,” Lapilus told leparisien.fr in his native French. “I am young. I still have all the future ahead of me.”

Check out the video above to see Lapilus’ boxing debut.