PAKhabib Nurmagomedov has just one fight left on his current UFC contract, and so what does the future hold for him going forward?
Well, according to his manager Ali Abdelaziz, The Eagle plans on fighting out his UFC contract before facing Floyd Mayweather in the ring.
Ever since his victory against Conor McGregor in October 2019, fans have been intrigued by the prospect of Nurmagomedov taking on McGregor’s former sporting rival, Mayweather.
And Abdelaziz has now clarified Nurmagomedov is still keen to fight Mayweather, if not in his final fight then after his contract ends. Abdelaziz also appears confident that the Russian could beat ‘The Money’ in any discipline.
Speaking with TMZ, Abdelaziz revealed:
We have one fight left on his UFC contract.
If the UFC want to do a boxing fight, we down. … Maybe we can fight Floyd at the end of the year, or 2019. But for right now, Khabib is a UFC fighter, [UFC President] Dana White is our partner, and we are going to respect him.
White has previously made it understood that Nurmagomedov would not be permitted to fight Mayweather while still contracted with the UFC, and Abdelaziz appears to be adhering to the UFC president’s wishes.
Somewhat ominously, Abdelaziz also reportedly advised Mayweather to start saving up for life insurance should there be a fight, ‘because he’s not going to be walking anymore. He’s going to be drinking water [through a] straw’.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, 41-year-old Mayweather has previously stated he would be up for going against Nurmagomedov in a boxing match as this would be more lucrative:
They said it has to happen in the Octagon, and I said, ‘You just tell me where Khabib has made nine figures before in the Octagon’.
If he hasn’t made nine figures, he’s not the A side. I’m the A side, so if you guys want the fight to happen, you must come my way. My way, my rules.
Money by name, Money by nature…
UFC President Dana White has previously expressed his opinion on who would emerge as the winner in a fight between Nurmagomedov and Mayweather, telling CNN:
Khabib would [win], It would be a very ugly fight, Floyd would get smashed.
White also stated how the fight could only occur if it was a boxing match, directing the following pointed message to Mayweather:
This is where the money is.
Call me, Floyd — you know how this works. Call me if you really want to get a deal done.
Mayweather will compete against 20-year-old Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in an exhibition bout on December 31. This will be Mayweather’s first taste of action since his victory against McGregor in August 2017.
Mayweather has fought 50 professional fights undefeated, while Nurmagomedov possesses an impressive 27-0 record.
Discussing the prospect of this fight online, one fan commented:
I am a Khabib fan but iI m more a Floyd Fan. I know that Mayweather will beat Khabib.
However, another fan said:
Mayweather will get destroyed if he fights Khabib in Octagon.
Is Nurmagomedov vs Mayweather a fight you would like to see? And who do you reckon would be the winner?
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.