Khabib Nurmagomedov has complimented the boxing ability of Mike Tyson as he continues to enjoy his retirement.
Once known as perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist in the world, Khabib is now focusing on his exploits outside of the cage which includes business ventures and coaching some of his former teammates and family members.
Nurmagomedov opted to retire from the sport in the wake of his father’s death, formally announcing the decision after his submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
At one stage following his success over Conor McGregor, it actually seemed as if “The Eagle” may make a one-time shift over to boxing, potentially against Floyd Mayweather – the same man Conor went up against. The idea never came to be despite the potential financial rewards, but that doesn’t mean Khabib isn’t still a big fan of the sport.
Khabib is set to make an appearance on a future episode of Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson and when asked about “Iron Mike” in a recent interview, the Russian didn’t hold back in his praise of the veteran heavyweight.
“Not like him [Mike Tyson]. I wish but not like him in boxing.” Khabib told a reporter when asked about Tyson’s power.
Striking was never a big part of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s game but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate the art form. Every great fighter needs to possess some kind of ability on the feet and Khabib certainly had that, as he demonstrated when knocking McGregor down in their UFC 229 showdown.
Mike Tyson clearly knows a thing or two about power and what it means to completely shift the trajectory of a fight. When the aforementioned episode is released, we imagine Khabib, Tyson and Henry Cejudo will all have a lot to say about both boxing and the influence it has on MMA.
Featured image credit: Getty
