Khabib Nurmagomedov is very rarely seen having beefs or giving opinions on other fighters as he chooses to stay away from the drama. But Khabib once did share his mind on the MMA fighter and boxer Francis Ngannou during his dispute with the UFC. In an interview with Sky Sports, Khabib shared his opinion on Ngannou leaving the UFC. He talked about the difference between the fighters that fight for money and those who go for the legacy.
In the year-old interview, ‘The Eagle’ expressed that Ngannou is aiming for money. Nurmagomedov further stated that taking a fight against Tyson Fury was understandable. But this is not it, Khabib also warned Ngannou that he would lose his already established legacy in the UFC once he decides to take an exit from the promotion. This warning was directed towards Ngannou being the world’s greatest heavyweight fighter who chose to move ahead in his career in boxing. He said:
“Francis Ngannou, I think he has to stay with the UFC. If he can go to boxing and make 50-60 million dollars, he has to… I know Francis comes from a very poor life in Africa… If someone pays you more money, go and take it if your goal is money. If not, if you want to make history and become the greatest heavyweight of all time, you have to stay in UFC.”
The Dagestani fighter also expressed how Ngannou’s inclination towards money comes from his poor family background. But Nurmagomedov didn’t leave a chance to warn Ngannou about the difference between money and legacy. He further talked about why Ngannou needs to be cautious about his choices.
What is next in line for Francis Ngannou?
‘The Predator’ delivered an exceptional show at the crossover boxing fight against ‘The Gypsy King’. Even though Ngannou didn’t take home the victory, he knocked Fury flat on the canvas in the third round. He was praised worldwide for his performance in the boxing match.
A recent announcement confirmed who the Cameroonian-French fighter will be taking on next in his upcoming fight. The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to fight against Anthony Joshua. The duo is scheduled to lock horns in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The date and other details of this fight are yet to be confirmed.
Confirmed: @anthonyjoshua vs @francis_ngannou is signed to take place during @RiyadhSeason!
Fight date and Kick-off press conference details to be released next week! #JoshuaNgannou@Turki_alalshikh | @MatchroomBoxing pic.twitter.com/o932Fyuxgd
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) January 5, 2024
The entire combat community is filled with excitement and just can’t wait to gather other details of the fight. Looking at Ngannou’s last ring appearance and his zeal, the fans are quite sure of an electrifying performance from the fighter.
