Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is so committed to retirement that he turned down $100 million to fight Floyd Mayweather, according to his manager.
Nurmagomedov, 32, called time on his unbeaten UFC career last October immediately following his victory against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi. However, he vacated his lightweight belt only in March.
In a recent episode of Mike Tyson’s podcast, Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, claimed the undefeated Dagestani had received a nine-figure proposal following his retirement to fight unbeaten former boxer Mayweather.
Abdelaziz said added the UFC president Dana White had contacted him as recently as the past two weeks to float the idea of Nurmagomedov taking on former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre. The Canadian is thought to be retired, too.
“Khabib got offered $100 million after he was retired to fight Floyd Mayweather,” Abdelaziz said. “$100 million ... $100 million. You can ask Floyd. You can ask everybody. Khabib said, ‘No, I’m retired. I told my mother I’m retired.
"I’m going to keep my word to my mother. If my mother told me to fight again, maybe I will. But right now, she told me not to fight.'”
Nurmagomedov has always said his decision to retire was based on a promise to his mother that he would no longer compete professionally following his father’s death last summer. Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his son’s long-time coach, was aged 57, with Khabib vowing to his mother that the Gaethje bout would be his last.
Nurmagomedov's victory against the then-interim champion at Flash Forum, which arrived via second-round submission, lifted his pro record to 29-0. He has since become more active in coaching, including training several of his family members and former stablemates.
Meanwhile, St-Pierre has not competed since November 2017, when he returned for a one-off bout against Michael Bisping at UFC 217. His first fight in four years, St-Pierre won by third-round submission to finish his pro career at 26-2.
