“The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung isn’t ruling out retirement after his clash with Max Holloway this weekend.
Jung will headline UFC on ESPN+ 83 this Saturday in Singapore opposite former featherweight champion Max Holloway. It’s a clash that many fight fans are amped for, as both Jung and Holloway are two of the most explosive 145 pounders in the promotion’s history. While Jung is a legend in the sport, he goes up against Holloway, who has made the case for being, arguably, the greatest featherweight of all time.
Speaking to media recently, Jung acknowledged that he respects Holloway, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to go any easier on him.
“I respect Max,” Jung said (via MMA Junkie). “He’s a living legend. He’s a legend in this division. I’ve fought three legends here in this division: I fought Jose Aldo, I fought (Alexander) Volkanovski. I respect Max, but just because I respect him does not mean I’m going to go easy on him. I expect to win this fight. I’m going to go hard on him.”
Jung hasn’t competed inside the Octagon since April of 2022. This will be his first fight in over a year, as he’s currently coming off a knockout loss to Alexander Volkanovski in a failed bid for the division’s title. At 36-years-old and having fought professionally since 2007, many wonder if, depending on his performance, this could be Jung’s last walk to the Octagon.
“The Korean Zombie” didn’t rule out retirement when asked about the prospect, but isn’t willing to pull the trigger on making a decision until after he’s able to assess his performance against Holloway.
“I’m not really sure what’s going to happen,” Jung said. “It’s very difficult for a fighter to acknowledge that one’s career has ended. I’ll have to see how well I fight in the octagon. I’ll have to assess myself on this fight, and then decide what’s going on next.”
https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufcnews/korean-zombie-reacts-to-retirement-talk-ahead-of-ufc-fight-night-225-clash-with-max-holloway