John Kavanagh, coach for Conor McGregor, says that his superstar student will remain the champion regardless of what the outcome for the Tony Ferguson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov fight is.
Kavanagh doesn’t yet know if McGregor will be stripped of his lightweight title, but he is of the belief that the world will still view the Irishman as a champion, no matter what happens at the UFC 223.
As punters who enjoy MMA action by means of the top-rated Australian betting apps available will know, the fight between Ferguson and Nurmagomedov was confirmed on Wednesday, but it is not yet known whether Ferguson’s interim title will be up for grabs or if McGregor will be stripped of his, as was suggested by Dana White.
Kavanagh Says the Russian Will Win
Considering the match up for the fight, Kavanagh has predicted that the Russian will triumph, winning a decision over Ferguson.
In a live interview on Facebook to promote Wimp 2 Warrior, Kavanagh stated that, for a start, both fighters were grapplers. He added that neither man had a high level of striking, and so the match would be a wrestling one, and he predicted that a lot of it would play out with Nurmagomedov on top. He stated that he thought the fight would go for the five rounds, and that the outcome would be a decision to Nurmagomedov.
A High Risk of the Fight Being Cancelled
Kavanagh also believes that there is a large likelihood of the fight not even happening, thanks to the history that Nurmagomedov has with injuries. He pointed out that the fight had already been scheduled, and cancelled, twice.
Kavanagh said that he was impressed by what Nurmagomedov managed to do when fighting, in terms of the pace and the relentless pressure he applied, but that this was this style of combat required fighters to train in a manner which increased the chance of injuries being sustained. Kavanagh said that this is why the fighter is averaging one fight, or even less, over the past few years: multiple injuries.
Why Kavanagh Believes The Eagle Will Emerge the Victor
Kavanagh stated that, assuming that both fighters succeeded in getting through their training camps, passed fitness tests and were both healthy, that the fight actually took place, and went five rounds, he believed that Ferguson would enjoy moments in the first couple of rounds, but that Nurmagomedov would be able to power out of them, wearing Ferguson out steadily. Kavanagh doesn’t feel that Ferguson has the stopping power necessary to finish the Russian, and that his victory over Barboza, although impressive, was too one-sided to be factored in.
No Word On McGregor Retaining His Title
There is a rumour going around that Conor McGregor may well be stripped of his title at the Boston UFC Conference coming up, but Kavanagh claimed that he was still in the dark as to whether or not the Dubliner would be able to hold on to his belt.