"Where are we before him" - Khabib Nurmagomedov humbly responds to comparisons with Muhammad Ali
![Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) and Muhammad Ali (right) [Images courtesy of @khabib_nurmagomedov and @muhammadali on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/06/56e6a-16547775006496-1920.jpg?w=500)
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently paid tribute to Muhammad Ali in a post made by Zubaira Tukhugov on Instagram.
Tukhugov posted an edited image of Nurmagomedov and Ali together. The Russian featherweight wrote that 'The Eagle' and Ali have been two of the biggest legends of combat sports in the last two centuries. Here's what the 31-year-old captioned his image on Instagram:
"Two legends of the 20th and 21st century in one photo." [Translated from Russian by Google]
Khabib Nurmagomedov took note of Tukhugov's post and reacted by hinting at just how great the former boxing heavyweight champion was. Here's what 'The Eagle' wrote to pay homage to Ali:
"Where are we before him." [Translated by Google]
Ali is widely considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time. His professional career spanned from 1960-1981. The legendary pugilist retired with a record of 56-5. Muhammad Ali passed away on June 3, 2016.
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is in the conversation of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. He had an outstanding career in which the Dagestani managed to remain unbeaten. 'The Eagle' announced his retirement from the sport in 2020 and boasts a record of 29-0.
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov announce retirement:
Is Khabib Nurmagomedov the greatest MMA fighter of all time?
Khabib Nurmagomedov is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time along with the likes of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Georges St-Pierre. 'The Eagle' displayed unprecedented dominance inside the octagon during his time as an active fighter.
That being said, it's hard to single him out as the greatest fighter of all time. Jon Jones has created an unbelievable legacy of his own inside the octagon. He defeated many legends in the light heavyweight division during his reign at 205lbs.
Anderson Silva was an absolute striking phenom during his prime. He had an aura of invincibility around him. Meanwhile, St-Pierre was a complete mixed martial artist and thrived in both the striking and grappling aspects of the fight game.
Many argue that Nurmagomedov didn't make enough title defenses and retired too early in his career. Despite those claims, it's hard to dispute that it might be a while before fans get to see a fighter like 'The Eagle'.