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41-Year-Old UFC Legend Diego Sanchez Set to Face Former Boxing World Champion

Published 01/11/2023, 1:51 AM EST

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Diego Sanchez, the MMA fighter from the United States, is getting ready to make his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut. Before getting the all-clear, the 41-year-old fighter had to pass rigorous medical examinations. At the Bare Knuckle Championship, the UFC legend will square off against the former boxing champion in the KnuckleMania 3 event. On February 17, the battle will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The health concerns of Diego Sanchez

The New Mexico Athletic Commission voted 3-1 to allow the bout between Austin Trout, 37, and Diego Sanchez, 41. Talks were held to go over the potential for a fight between the two. The battle was intended to be a component of the approval of the event license, and conversations on the subject took place on December 21. Jerome O’Connell, however, expressed some concerns about Sanchez’s level of physical fitness. Sanchez’s opponent is unquestionably powerful enough to give him a challenging battle, so his health is a legitimate concern.

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In O’Connel’s words, “concerns for me center around Diego Sanchez’s long-standing concerns about neurological issues and concussions, and his concerns in articles and interviews about brain damage. Those, for me, haven’t been alleviated by an MRI and a neurology report. I have some of the same reservations that we talked about when we last got together.” He further added, “I find it compelling that there are concerns outside of our body with this fight. That gives me pause.

Past bouts of Diego Sanchez

Even though the UFC icon is no longer competing in the UFC, he undoubtedly remains a popular figure. But ‘The Nightmare’ isn’t prepared to give up on his fighting career yet. His presence before the commission on December 21 is one thing that firmly demonstrates this. Despite the fact that he didn’t talk during the call on Tuesday, he had answers for the commission’s worries.

via Imago

Sanchez’s health concerns were the focus of the lengthy discussions. Sanchez acknowledged the significance of his own health and his desire for long-term fitness. Therefore, he made sure that he took full responsibility for guaranteeing that there were no significant health issues.

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Diego Sanchez Announces Sad News for UFC Fans

‘The Nightmare’ left the UFC in 2021; however, he later competed in one more fight. He now competes in the super lightweight division of the Eagle Fighting Championship. Diego Sanchez faced Kevin Lee in Eagle FC 46, where he was defeated by a unanimous decision. Three of his six most recent fights, against Michel Pereira, Mickey Gall, and Craig White, were victories for him. Everyone agrees that Trout, a former boxing world champion who held the WBA light middleweight championship for three years, will make for a challenging opponent in their upcoming bout.

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Written by:

Priyanka

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Priyanka is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. She has been an ardent fan of the UFC since 2018. She is passionate when it comes to writing about the sport and this is evident in her articles.
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Edited by:

Yeswanth Praveen