Coach Rashad Holloway is optimistic about Tony Ferguson’s chances against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.
Khabib Nurmagomedov might be the betting favorite over Tony Ferguson heading into their highly anticipated lightweight title fight at UFC 223, but coach Rashad Holloway believes ‘El Cucuy’ will shock the world with a knockout on April 7.
”The thing with Tony is he can win anyway. The last camp [for UFC 216] I felt a submission, but this one [vs Khabib], I see a knockout,” Ferguson’s striking coach told Abhinav Kini of the International Business Times UK in a recent interview.
Ferguson and Khabib, who are considered the crème de la crème of the lightweight division, have been booked to fight on three separate occasions in the past but a series injuries and weight cutting complications led to those bouts falling through.
Ferguson, 34, is on an impressive ten-fight win streak and recently beat Kevin Lee to win the interim lightweight strap at UFC 216. Nurmagomedov, who hails from Dagestan, is undefeated after twenty five professional fights and has completely manhandled most of his opponents in the Octagon.
Both men are scheduled to collide for the ‘undisputed’ lightweight title, per UFC president Dana White, but Irishman Conor McGregor is still listed as the official champion.
Holloway, a former professional boxer, said McGregor has got ‘lazy’ since his boxing mega-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and believes ‘The Notorious’ doesn’t stand a chance against Ferguson.
“He never favoured fighting Tony because he’s too dangerous and now [that] Tony’s name finally blew up, he’s [McGregor] rich and lazy while Tony’s super hungry so no way he was ever fighting Tony,” Holloway said.
“McGregor has no chance at all in that fight. His ground game sucks but his striking is good. [But] he wouldn’t be able to strike with Tony. He [Tony] shows you what he wants and he’s so tough as far as taking shots, that I get on him for it.”
Ferguson is considered one of the best strikers in the 155-pound division and Holloway believes The Ultimate Fighter 13 winner will put on a spectacular showcase for the fans against Nurmagomedov.
“You all haven’t seen him really strike yet. His ability and what we work on is amazing and I’m not being biased. He has this thing where he doesn’t want to show all his cards and I fuss about it but he gets the job done. You will see more of his ability this fight [vs Khabib] for sure.”
UFC 223, which features Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov as the headlining bout, takes place April 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.