Paul Hughes faces Usman Nurmagomedov in a PFL lightweight world championship rematch
Paul Hughes is dreaming of a Windsor Park homecoming fight, months on from headlining the city’s SSE Arena.
The 28-year-old says he is “ready to go to the depths of hell” to defeat Usman Nurmagomedov and claim the PFL lightweight world championship this Friday – and hopes to fight the Russian for a third time in Belfast.
Hughes takes on Nurmagomedov in a hugely anticipated rematch on Friday, eight months after their previous encounter in what many considered a fight of the year candidate.
Nurmagomedov, who is the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib, was declared the victor by majority decision despite losing a point for an accidental headbutt back in January.
Numerous observers believed Hughes was harshly treated on the evening and he is determined to reverse only the second defeat of his professional career by delivering his finest performance yet, reports the Irish Mirror.
“I’m ready to go to the depths of hell to beat this man,” he said.
“I’ve been going to the depths of hell in camp to make sure I am prepared. This is truly my life’s work, so I need to put it all together.”
Hughes reckons that the 25 minutes he has already spent in the cage with Nurmagomedov will prove invaluable for him heading into the rematch.
“Having done five rounds with him, it gives me very good reads,” he explained. “I think that one of my greatest skills as a fighter is game planning and executing game plans and I think having them five rounds of experience now to make them reads and implement them (will help).”
Nevertheless, Hughes also recognises that Nurmagomedov underestimated him previously and believes he won’t make such a ‘stupid’ error again. “I believe he’ll be coming in there as best prepared as he possibly could,” Hughes continued.
“I believe that his team will put him through the ringer for this fight to make sure that he does not go out and lose to this Irish guy. I’m expecting a hard fight.”
However, when pressed for his prediction on the outcome, ‘Big News’ declared: “I break that man. I take him to deep waters and I drown him.”
After their initial encounter, Hughes topped the bill at the SSE Arena in May, demolishing Brazil’s Bruno Miranda in a mere 42 seconds – a moment he describes as ‘one of the best moments’ of his life.
“It couldn’t have been any more special,” he revealed. “Truly, truly, that was number one on my MMA bucket list was to fight and sell out the SSE Arena in Belfast, which is where I live. The biggest arena you can do it.
“Every single time I drove past it for eight years since my pro debut, I dreamed of selling that place out. To do that was one of the best moments of my life. “.
The Belfast-based fighter is already eyeing up a potential trilogy bout with Nurmagomedov at Windsor Park should he emerge victorious in the Middle East on Friday.
“As soon as I beat this man, I’m going to call for the trilogy,” Hughes explained. “He’s been a champion for a long time, so he does deserve it. As soon as I beat him, I’m saying, let’s run this back.
“But it’s not in the Middle East next time. Next time has to be Belfast and I foresee it hopefully happening in Windsor Park.
“24,000 people. We’ve seen fights there before. We’ve seen Carl Frampton sell it out.
“We’ve seen Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan so it can be done and I believe that one day it will be done.”
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