Tony Ferguson Addresses Fans’ CTE Concerns Ahead of Misfits Boxing Debut

The 2020s haven’t been kind to former UFC star Tony Ferguson, who has yet to register a victory since 2019. As we all know, he departed from the Las Vegas-based promotion earlier this year after an eight-fight losing streak. In those eight losses, the former interim champion saw himself getting choked out and even knocked out. With clips of his doddery movement inside the Octagon already seeped into fan memory, these consecutive losses caused fans to raise concerns about his health. However, in classic Tony Ferguson fashion, the 41-year-old claimed to have no worries and no issues when it comes to his health.

Tony Ferguson recently took part in an open workout session ahead of his boxing match against Salt Papi on August 30 in Manchester. Fans were puzzled since his workouts featured MMA moves instead of boxing techniques. With boxing notorious for its history of older fighters suffering from CTE, his shift to the squared circle without evident defensive preparation raised similar concerns among fans about the UFC veteran. But ‘El Cucuy’ claimed it was his plan all along to avoid throwing punches during the workout. He remains confident in the work he put in at the gym, and the UFC legend is certain his team will help him with the rest.

“No [I’m not worried about my long-term health]. I believe that, you know, I mean, at the open workouts, I did not throw one punch, and that was on purpose,” Tony Ferguson told MMA Junkie. “It’s not like I’m not practicing for boxing. Like I said, I’ve always wanted to box. So, what I’ve been doing is I’ve been showing up. I’ve got my cornerman that I’ve got, I’ve asked them before this really got serious, is I just want to show up.”

Despite the disappointing results in his fights over the last five years, Tony Ferguson claims that he’s in good shape, showing up for every fight. Claiming that he’s been “putting things together” these past few years, the 41-year-old revealed that he has no plans to slow down anytime soon. “And for the last four to five years, I’ve been putting things together just to get it going. And it felt most frustrating because I never found anybody who knew MMA more than me,” Ferguson added. “I put things together just to keep people afloat. I mean, just to kinda help things and then kinda keep the game moving.”

Despite having the confidence and mentality of wanting to move forward with each passing fight, Tony Ferguson admitted that it wasn’t easy for him when things weren’t going well.

Tony Ferguson reveals his difficulties during the tail-end of his UFC career

Tony Ferguson was candid about how losing one fight after another in recent years took a mental toll on him. He admitted to losing his smile but kept those feelings hidden from his family. Ferguson stated that even if something affects him deeply, he’s made it his mission to keep it private, and he’s been largely successful in doing so.

“It was the hardest four to five years I’ve ever had, which f—ing 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,” Tony Ferguson confessed. “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—ing know. That’s the magic part of me.”

Despite the losses, it seems Ferguson has found a new avenue to use his expertise in. And it’s all about to go down Saturday night, and fans will be tuning in to see if Tony Ferguson can shock the world, win his debut boxing match, and get back in the win column. What do you think? Will he be the next best thing in crossover boxing?