Cristiano Ronaldo has recently delved into the world of combat sports, he has been spotted in multiple MMA and boxing fights. He saw the recent featherweight clash between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. During the build-up of the event, Ronaldo highlighted how Ilia Topuria “talks too much” and mentioned how he would respect Topuria if he knocked out Max Holloway. Ilia Topuria got the job done in the 3rd round and stands as the only man to ever secure a KO against Max Holloway.
Topuria was happy with all he accomplished but Ronaldo's comment didn’t exactly put a smile on his face. He expected Ronaldo to understand where those comments came from. Apart from that, he wishes nothing but the best for his family.
Cristiano Ronaldo was picking Max Holloway to beat Ilia:
“ speaks too much… I think when he [beat] Volk, Volk wasn’t [ready] because of that kick…
didn’t fight with the top guys. If he beats Max, I will respect.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments
“[Topuria] speaks too much. I think when he [beat] Volk [Alexander Volkanovski], Volk wasn’t [ready] because of that kick. [Topuria] didn’t fight with the top guys,” Ronaldo said, as quoted by goal.com. “If he beats Max, I will respect [him]. Never KO. This is why [Holloway] will be tough for Topuria.”
Ilia Topuria’s response
“I didn’t expect someone like you to be unable to distinguish between confidence and arrogance, but, at the end of the day, we all reflect our own reality onto others. I wish you the best for what remains of your career, and God bless your family”.
Ilia responds to Cristiano Ronaldo's comments about him. pic.twitter.com/5nLMbueDir
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 2, 2024