Khabib: Perhaps my father's death will make me stronger

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov took part in a press conference on Friday, and ahead to his fight vs. interim champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 on October 24, and looked back on the death in July of his father Abdulmanap to COVID-19.

I’m sure everyone in this room lost someone, said Khabib. A friend, a neighbor, a cousin, a mother, a father, girlfriend. Everyone goes through loss, I understand that. But on the other hand, it’s very difficult. Some people have strictly a father-son relationship, but my father was very close to me. We were like friends. He was my father and coach, we were always together. We were very close. Of course, I’m sad. If I tell you with a straight face that it doesn’t affect my training, that’d be a lie. It does affect me, I think about him all the time. Maybe this pain will put me on another level and make me stronger. Any challenge either breaks you or makes you stronger. We’ll see what it does to me in time.

As far as retirement, I’ve been having lots of different thoughts. Right now I’m thinking of my next fight. We’ll see what happens next. Right now I’m 31, I’ll be 32 in September. That’s a significant age. I’m no longer a rookie. Looking back at how much time I’ve invested in the sport, it’s fair to say I’m a veteran. I’ve been a professional fighter for 12 years, since 2008. I’ve been in the UFC more than eight years. If you look back, I’ve had an excellent career.

Right now I’m motivated to come back, to fight, to keep busy, and I think the best place to do is where I am considered a professional. Then we’ll see what’s next. This whole year I’ve dedicated to training, my regimen – morning and evening training, diet, all of this helps distract me from everything that’s happening around me.

He always had pretty firm advice – short, firm advice. He’d tell me to stay focused. He’d say, ‘You decided to fight, you have to get ready.’ There’s no half measures. If you’re fighting, get ready.

Due to the pandemic, for the first time since ever since, Khabib will not hold his camp at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California. Instead, AKA head coach Javier Mendez will fly to Russia to prepare him for Gaehtje’s “zone of death.”