Tony Ferguson addresses health concerns ahead of boxing debut
Tony Ferguson addresses health concerns ahead of boxing debut
Tony Ferguson is hours away from his professional boxing debut, feeling confident as ever.
Despite ending his run in the UFC on an eight-fight losing skid, which included five stoppages, “El Cucuy” believes he’s in a great place physically and mentally. At Misfits Boxing 22, Ferguson (0-0) takes on Nathaniel Bustamante, better known as “Salt Papi,” who brings a 6-2 record as an influencer boxer.
Ferguson, 41, has drawn concern from the combat sports community due to his recent stretch of losses. However, the former interim UFC champ doesn’t share the same sentiments.
“No (I’m not concerned),” Ferguson told MMA Junkie. “At the open workouts, I didn’t throw one punch, and that was on purpose. It’s not like I’m not practicing for boxing. Like I’ve said, I’ve always wanted to box. What I’ve been doing is I’ve been showing up, I’ve got my cornermen that I’ve asked him before this really got serious that I just want to show up. For the last four to five years, I’ve been putting things together just to get it going, and it felt the most frustrating because I never found anybody that knew MMA more than me. Like nobody’s gonna have that much more experience than me inside that f*cking cage, that octagon.
“… It was the hardest four to five years I’ve ever had, which f*cking sucked. I never smiled, it was terrible. But you guys never saw that, and I’m glad you guys never saw that because my family never saw that. You guys will never see me injured. You guys will never see me hurt. I’ll never show it, and I’ll never put it on my face because you guys will just never f*cking know. That’s the magic part of me.”
Since his last UFC fight in August 2024, Ferguson says he has remained in shape, but also took time away from training to rest and get hair treatment. He says it was the first time he took a real break since an arm injury in a 2012 loss to Michael Johnson. After that return, he ripped off a 12-fight winning streak. It’s the same perspective he’s bringing into his boxing debut, as he expects to not only perform well, but stop “Salt Papi.”
“Sometimes I need resets, and it takes a hard knock like that for me to be able to be reset, and here we are, we’re boxing,” Ferguson said. “I’ve been listening to my coaches, and I have my training partners show up, then making sure we’re getting our rounds in, making sure I’m doing my extra credit, making sure I’m not over-doing things. Making sure that I’m showing up. When that goes into it, I don’t have to say I’m sharp. I don’t have to do that.
“… I feel good, man. I feel excellent. I probably should be feeling miserable like half of these other motherf*ckers, but I’m not. I’m 41, halfway to 82, feel f*cking phenomenal, and this week, I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna get this finish.”
