Khamzat Chimaev Wants to Meet His MMA Inspiration Conor McGregor in the Boxing Ring

Khamzat Chimaev and Conor McGregor (Photo by Imagn Images)

Khamzat Chimaev Wants to Meet His MMA Inspiration Conor McGregor in the Boxing Ring

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated May 1, 2026 3:15 PM ET

Khamzat Chimaev is going to face Sean Strickland at UFC 328, where he is defending his middleweight belt for the first time. However, Chimaev once mentioned he plans to move to light heavyweight if he wins against Strickland. Meanwhile, ‘Borz’ has also aimed to fight Conor McGregor in a boxing match.

Chimaev said he would love to step into a 12-round boxing match with McGregor under Zuffa Boxing. The middleweight champion made it clear this is not coming from hatred or personal beef; in fact, ‘The Notorious’ has inspired him. Talking with a media scrum, the Chechnya fighter said:

“Just box. 12 rounds. If Conor wants to accept that, would be nice. He talks better than Sean Strickland, so it will be fun.” He also added, “Conor had knocked out the Brazilian guy, Aldo… When I saw that fight and heard how much money he made, that’s when I got motivated to start MMA.“

Khamzat Chimaev: ‘’Conor McGregor sayesinde MMA’e başladım!’’

Khamzat Chimaev: ‘’Conor Brezilyalı adamı nakavt etmişti, Aldo.. O dövüşü gördüğümde ve ne kadar para kazandığını duyduğumda, işte o zaman MMA'e başlamak için motive oldum. Onu görmek güzel.

Conor’la boks maçı… pic.twitter.com/XlaVUcPnRz
— Kırmızı Köşe (@KirmiziKoseMMA) May 1, 2026

‘Borz’ said, facing McGregor now would actually be something special for him. However, he now needs to beat the former middleweight champion first. Fans are really pumped for this one as Strickland and Chimaev have real beef, which makes this fight super hyped.

Joe Pyfer Says Sean Strickland Can Win Against Khamzat Chimaev

Joe Pyfer has given his prediction for the huge middleweight title clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland, and he is siding with Strickland. Pyfer admitted that Chimaev is dangerous early, especially with his wrestling. But he said if Strickland manages to survive early, then he can win. In an interview with MMA Full Mount, the rising middleweight star said:

“These guys got true beef. I think Sean Strickland is a good fighter. I think Khamzat is an excellent wrestler, and he’s got aura about him, and he’s fun to watch. Do have Sean Strickland. I think Sean can survive the storm, and if he doesn’t get submitted in the first round, he can win that fight.”

Joe Pyfer explains why he picks Sean Strickland to beat Khamzat Chimaev:

"These guys got true beef. I think Sean Strickland is a good fighter. I think Khamzat is an excellent wrestler and he's got aura about him and he's fun to watch.

I do have Sean Strickland. I think… pic.twitter.com/6MRnY9RzM5
— Full Mount MMA (@MMAFullMount) April 2, 2026

The middleweight champion always shoots in for takedowns from the very start of the fight, and he also puts in submissions, which makes his opponents drain their energy. Now, fans will wait to see how different Strickland’s game plan will be for UFC 328.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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