Man who floored McGregor sends message to Mayweather
Boxing
By
Mirror
| Nov 14, 2019
Khabib Nurmagomedov has dismissed the idea of fighting Floyd Mayweather in a boxing ring.
The UFC's lightweight champion has been linked with a clash against the retired superstar since his win over Conor McGregor last year.
His father recently said his son would be willing to face Mayweather after he defends his 155lb belt against Tony Ferguson.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov said: "Floyd, I respect your wish to fight Khabib.
"At the moment we have our most crucial moment, when he have to hold the best fight in the history of the UFC.
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"Twelve against 12 in a series of victories (in the UFC) and all the fans are waiting for this fight.
"We’ve been preparing for this fight for more than a year. Five months and the fight (with Ferguson) should take place.
"First of all we will need to do some boxing training and we need a camp – with Lomachenko Sr for half a year. Why not!!!"
And the UFC champion has reiterated that stance.
"I think it would be better for me to fight Tony Ferguson rather than Floyd at this stage of my career," Nurmagomedov said. “I’m more focused on MMA.
"If he moved to MMA we would fight but I don’t think it’s possible. I don’t have plans to have a boxing fight next year."
Nurmagomedov was last in action in September when he choked out Dustin Poirier in the third round.
He is expected to face Ferguson in April or May and may not fight into 2021.
"My retirement is coming. A couple of fights more," he said.
"It would be wrong to talk about what I’m going to do after that because I’m currently working on different projects.
"I’ll work on them later. I won’t get lost for sure."
He also named his preferred successor as the 155lb champion.
“I don’t want to leave my belt for any Tom, Dick or Harry. I want the succession of generations to happen," he added.
"I want to leave the belt and Islam Makhachev to take it.
“It would be great if my retirement coincided with Islam’s title shot.”