Khabib Nurmagomedov: UFC champion calls out Floyd Mayweather

Khabib Nurmagomedov: UFC champion calls out Floyd Mayweather

UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov wants to succeed where rival Conor McGregor failed, calling out boxer Floyd Mayweather by saying: “In the jungle there is only one king.”

Russian Nurmagomedov, 30, beat McGregor on 6 October to extend his unbeaten mixed martial arts record to 27-0.

It was McGregor’s first UFC fight since the Irishman lost a boxing bout to American Mayweather in August 2017.

Former five-weight world champion Mayweather is unbeaten in 50 fights.

“Let’s go, Floyd, we have to fight now,” said Nurmagomedov, in an Instagram video filmed with Leonard Ellerbe, the chief executive of Mayweather Promotions.

“50-0 v 27-0 – two guys who never lose. Why not?”

Nurmagomedov, renowned for his wrestling skills, caught McGregor with a punch before winning their contest with a choke as he forced his opponent to tap out.

Mayweather, 41, stopped McGregor in the 10th round in their fight, one of the richest bouts in boxing history.

“Of course I am the king because he could not drop McGregor and I dropped him easily,” added Nurmagomedov, who retained his UFC lightweight title against McGregor.

Mayweather, who has not fought since the McGregor bout, has said he will come out of retirement to fight Manny Pacquiao in a rematch later this year.

Nurmagomedov and McGregor have both been temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission pending a full investigation into the scenes that marred the end of their fight in Las Vegas.

Following his victory, Nurmagomedov jumped the octagon fence and started fighting his rival’s team. McGregor then fought with the Russian’s camp as numerous brawls broke out. – bbc.com