Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson believes he’ll be faster than Paddy Pimblett.
‘El Cucuy’ has been out of action since a third-round submission loss to Bobby Green in July at UFC 290. The defeat was his sixth in a row, and there were quick calls for Tony Ferguson to retire. However, he quickly hit back at those calls to hang it up and booked a fight with Paddy Pimblett.
The two are currently set to clash at UFC 296 in December, in a pivotal fight for both men. While ‘The Baddy’ is coming off a controversial decision win over Jared Gordon in December, he has won his last six fights. Despite that, Tony Ferguson feels that he’ll have one big advantage, and it’s in the speed department.
The former interim lightweight champion previewed his return against Paddy Pimblett in a recent interview. Speaking to ESPN, Tony Ferguson opined that he’s never been quicker than he’s ever been. Furthermore, he feels that he’s quicker than a lot of fighters almost half his age.
“[Speed] goes with who you’re working with. When I went back to Wildcard Boxing, I found a new trainer. His name’s Sammy… been boxing since he was 14,” Tony Ferguson stated, previewing his return against Paddy Pimblett. “Any of my other trainers, they wouldn’t hit me, they wouldn’t like, check me to make sure my hands are up. This dude, bap! Bap! Bap! (h/t MMA News)
He continued, “He’s keeping me active, because that’s how I learn. I learn not by trial and error, no. ‘Look, keep your hands up!’ Oh, okay, hands up, protect, move. I’m faster now than I’ve ever been, which is the craziest thing… I’ve been competing in sports for 35 years. But what it does is, if you don’t have somebody testing you and teaching you new things, you start to plateau… I’m back in that good position where I’ve been learning new stuff… I’m a 39-year-old that’s faster than a lot of 21-year-olds.”
What do you make of these comments? Do you think Tony Ferguson will defeat Paddy Pimblett?
