Getty Khabib Nurmagomedov & Conor McGregor
Former two-division UFC champion Georges St-Pierre believes that he could beat Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomdov today.
The 40-year-old UFC Hall of Famer was recently interviewed on the “Patrick Bet-David Podcast” and he was asked about his fellow mixed martial arts superstars. Although “GSP” has maintained that he’s retired from the sport, he still feels like if he put in a three to six month training camp, he’d get his hand raised over both fighters.
“If I have the motivation to do it, yeah,” St-Pierre said. “I believe so.”
The host, Patrick Bet-David, interjected, asking GSP: “Even at this age, you think you could beat Khabib and Conor?”
“Oh yeah,” GSP continued. “If I have the motivation to go through another training camp.”
Then, St-Pierre confirmed that he doesn’t have the “heart” or “motivation” to get ready for an Octagon battle.
“It’s not the fight, guys,” GSP said. “I don’t want to waste two months of my life doing this. I just don’t want to put me through the stress, through the grind of doing this again.”
St-Pierre Pursued a Boxing Match With Oscar De La Hoya Last Year
Just because GSP is done fighting inside the Octagon, or in mixed martial arts in general, doesn’t mean that fight fans won’t see him compete in another combat sport.
Last year, the former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion was in talks with Triller to box Oscar De La Hoya. However, St-Pierre is still under contract with the UFC, meaning the promotion’s president, Dana White, has to give him permission to box for another company.
White didn’t allow GSP to seize the opportunity and the possible boxing match hit a dead end.
In an interview with Cinema Blend, GSP said boxing De La Hoya would have been a “dream come true,” however he understood White’s position on the matter. He said via the outlet:
I understand that Dana didn’t want me to fight. However, it would have been fun. Because my career as a professional fighter, to become the best in the world in mixed martial arts, is done. I’m turning 40 years old tomorrow; I’m going to be 40 years old. It’s a young man’s game. However, to rather fight a boxing match under the rules that Triller put on against the legendary Oscar De La Hoya? For me, it would have been a dream come true, because he is my second favorite boxer of all time, behind Sugar Ray Leonard. Plus, a lot of the money made would have been given to charity. So it would have been for a good cause, just to show that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. And it would have been serious competition because you say, I play basketball, I play hockey, but you don’t ‘play’ fighting. It would have been fun.
GSP’s UFC Contract Will Be Finished in Around a Year
In June 2021, GSP spoke with Sports Illustrated and confirmed that he had around two years left on his UFC contract.
“My contract with UFC will finish in almost two years, and I will be free—and I will still be in shape,” St-Pierre said.
And during that interview, he didn’t shut the door on the idea of competing again. “I’m still a fighter and an entertainer,” GSP continued. “If there is an exhibition fight or a novelty fight for charity, then never say never.”