The UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed in a rather startling revelation that he is contemplating retirement after his next fight with the former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. The Russian is apparently set to meet El Cucuy in a fight next year in April for a bout.
The Eagle has a professional MMA record of 28-0. On the other hand, Ferguson has a professional fighting record of 25-3.
Nurmagomedov told news agency RT Sports in a recent interview that it will be difficult to stay motivated towards fighting after a fight with the American. Here’s what he had to say:
Well, we don’t have a plan for when we’re going to finish but I do know it is not over the mountains, as they say. That time is very close. I don’t want to think about the future, I still have to live to April, I still have to fight, I need to win. So, I don’t like to look too far ahead. Now we have an opponent, Tony Ferguson, a very serious opponent. And I think it’s necessary to have this fight then we’ll sit down and think about what’s next. We’ll consider whether there’s any point in fighting any more. There will always be a reason to fight, money. But will we need it? We’ll think about it. I feel good now. I’m 31 and it’s a very good age to fight, and for sport. I’m far from retirement age, but it’s around the corner.
I always rate my chances higher than those of my opponents since I can’t approach a fight with uncertainty, I think I’m a lot better than him at wrestling, I’m much better than him physically. I’m tougher than him, and I haven’t lost yet, unlike him. Unlike him, I haven’t been knocked down yet. He has, I believe seven UFC knockdowns, a lot of falls from punches. So I can hit, I’m going to hit him especially hard.
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