Undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defended his title against Justin Gaethje and retires in 2020, is not interested in getting in a boxing ring even for a super fight with Floyd Mayweather the Dagestani legend left the sport after the tragic loss of his father and a promise to his mother. Since then, he has focused on training the likes of Islam Makhachev and Omar Nurmagomedov, stepping away from any potential bouts.
A Bold Proposal that Never Came to Life
In 2020, Khabib made headlines with an exclusive challenge to Floyd Mayweather: 11 fights followed by MMA. Confident in his abilities, Khabib said, “Five minutes with me [and] I’ll go down and break this guy”. But that challenge never materialized, and Khabib has since shown little interest in returning to the idea.
“I’m not a boxer,” Khabib Insists
On the ‘Inspire Me’ podcast, Khabib was recently asked if the prospect of fighting Mayweather excites him. The answer was a resounding no. “Now, no. Now, you know, everybody seems to know, I’m not a boxer.” He made it clear he has no desire to follow in the footsteps of his former rival Conor McGregor, who reportedly made $130 million for his 2017 fight against Mayweather.
Khabib also took the opportunity to address those who doubt his creative abilities. While known for his boxing prowess, Khabib reminded audiences that he has fought and defeated some of the best fighters in the UFC without taking much damage “A lot of people when they see my boxing game, they think, OK, . i can take it. But when they get in the cage, they realize, my range, my fakes, my speed, how I mix punches and punches, this is a little bit different than what they thought before.”
Khabib’s Confidence in his Impeccable Record
In 29 professional MMA fights, Khabib has remained relatively intact, both in terms of his losing record and physical appearance. “People still comment on my amazing play, but I disagree, and my face says it differently. Even my face doesn’t agree,” he joked, revealing how he left opponents confused with his seamless transition between hitting and grappling.
Some of the biggest ‘what if’s in MMA history include the never-before-seen matchup between Khabib and Tony Ferguson. Despite being scheduled five times, the fight never happened, leaving fans to wonder what could have been. However, Khabib doesn’t think Ferguson ever stood a real chance against him. On the ‘Inspire Me’ podcast, she reflected, “I feel a little sad but at the same time, I always realize that my game is the worst for it. He has no wrestling, he has no wrestling, what was he going to do with me?… The only chance he had to stop me was a nice punch like everybody else.”
Khabib retired with an unblemished 29-0 record, but Ferguson’s career took a different turn. Once the interim champion of the light heavyweight champion, ‘El Cucuy’ is currently on an eight-fight losing streak. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov The story of Ferguson remains one of MMA’s most intriguing unanswered questions.
