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Khabib Nurmagomedov says Georges St-Pierre and Kamaru Usman fantasy fight is UFC’s version of Mike Tyson vs Muhammad Ali


KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV said the Georges St-Pierre and Kamaru Usman fantasy fight is the UFC’s version of Mike Tyson vs Muhammad Ali.

St-Pierre is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and the best UFC welterweight ever.

Current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru UsmanCredit: Getty
UFC legend Georges St-PierreCredit: Instagram @georgesstpierre

Usman is the division’s current ruler and on the road to surpassing GSP, according to UFC president Dana White.

The 170lb king, 33, has called out St-Pierre, 40, before but the former two-weight champion is deep into retirement, having not fought since 2017.

It leaves Nurmagomedov – who had already dreamed of facing GSP himself – struggling to split the pair.

He told UFC Russia: “It’d be wrong to compare it. It is like to think who’d win: Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali?

“No one knows and no one will ever know.”

Tyson, now 54, and Ali, who died aged 74 in 2016, is the most hotly debated fantasy fight amongst fans.

But the heavyweight icons were several eras apart in their primes, whereas Usman became UFC champ once month before GSP retired in 2019.

Nurmagomedov, 32, who retired 29-0 last October, argued Usman would be the current favourite against St-Pierre, who is past his best.

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He said: “Right now, I think it is Usman because it is his prime time.

“What was the prime time of GSP? I believe it was 2009-2010. I think it would have been tough for Usman to fight with him back then.

“I think St-Pierre was the best at that time. So 2021 and 2010 are different times and a different level of competition.”

UFC legend Khabib NurmagomedovCredit: Alamy
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk


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