TONY FERGUSON’S sons will have to excel in the classroom before entering the school of hard knocks – despite being inspired by their dad.
Ferguson has two sons – four and nine – who are already obsessed with their old man’s iconic career which was full of gory bloodbaths.
Tony Ferguson with his two sons
Ferguson’s sons love his gory UFC careerGetty Images – Getty
He told SunSport: “One time when I brought them to my academy, there’s a picture of me smiling, but I’m covered in what looked like red Kool-Aid, and it was obviously somebody else’s blood and I’m smiling!
“So my son, I think he was around like maybe like five or six years old before anything, I showed him that fight and then he finally understood it.”
Ferguson shows off his screensaver – a picture of him and his two sons – and he is clearly their hero and idol.
And the former UFC interim lightweight champion knows there will come a day his lads will try and follow in his fighting footsteps.
Ferguson will support them – but under the condition they first get a college education.
He said: “Of course, they always wanna do what dad does, but I’m always doing homework with them. I’m always doing a bunch of other things.
“I’m shooting them the direction that they can go to college, obviously fighting is always gonna be there but I’m there for education for my sons and making sure that they got that.
“But, anytime they want to scrap, I always throw the boxing gloves inside there and they go after it.
Misfits 22 – All the info
MISFITS boxing is back for an absolutely massive card this weekend.
There’s a massive fight card from the AO Arena in Manchester, with the event starring a mix of UFC legends, Misfits icons – and two TOWIE stars!
Ring of Thrones, as the night has been dubbed, is headlined by a meeting of two former UFC stars in Darren Till and Luke Rockhold.
Former UFC champ Tony Ferguson is also making his debut for the promotion and puts his legacy on the line against Salt Papi, who has impressed in the ring and won his last three fights by TKO.
A packed night sees reality TV star cousins Joey Essex and Demi Sims make their boxing debuts.
Demi’s dad Tony has trained the likes of Anthony Joshua and Conor Benn and is Matchroom Sport’s head coach.
MMA upstart Dillon Danis is also back on the card, as well as Misfits regulars such as Ty Mitchell, Chase DeMoor and Amir Anderson.
Here’s everything you need to know about the night.
Info
How to get tickets for Misfits 22
All the info and how to watch Misfits 22
Latest news
EXCL: Demi Sims transformation from reality TV star to boxer
EXCL: Joey Essex not afraid of losing good looks in ring
EXCL: Tony Ferguson says he’s making his Misfits debut as a fresh fighter – despite calls to retire
EXCL: Joey Essex’s dad nearly fought Nigel Benn
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
“I got a four year old and a nine year old and my four year old is a little tyrant. I love that little kid.
“It’s awesome and my nine year old the same thing, it’s just how it goes. I mean they’re gonna wanna do what dad does and I’ll coach them all the way through, but they gotta go to college first.
“So they gotta go to college and win a couple of titles and then they can get there.”
Ferguson leaves behind his career in the UFC following EIGHT straight losses to make a switch to boxing – but not that his boys know the difference.
He said: “I mean, really, when it goes into it, they don’t know the difference.
“When we go and we travel, we go to a hotel, they don’t think it’s a vacation. My wife always says to them, ‘Daddy’s working.’
“They understand it and I’m very fortunate that I’m able to do that because I mean they could be home, I could be miserable and a whole bunch of other things.
“But now they get to go on trips with me and they get to do their thing while I’m doing my thing and so this fight’s a little different because I’m more focused.”
I’m not paying attention to any of you f***ers. When it goes into it, this is my fight game.
Tony Ferguson on calls to retire
Ferguson was once on a run of 12 straight wins in the UFC – before defeat to Justin Gaethje in 2020 sparked his losing streak.
But he has snubbed retirement – despite desperate calls from the likes of UFC boss Dana White to do so – to sign with Misfits Boxing.
He enters the celebrity-style space of crossover bouts and fights 6-2 TikToker Salt Papi on Saturday.
Ferguson, 41, said: “When it goes into it, I got a new hairline, I took eight months off, I feel confident, I feel good. I got my crew back with me.
“I feel damn near pretty good. My weight is good. Usually I’m bouncing my weight from 200lbs to 155lbs. Not the case. I’m floating around 175lbs.
“It’s good, feel great, and I just can’t wait for Saturday night. It doesn’t matter who the f*** supports me or doesn’t support me.
“I got God on my shoulders and I got my wife and my family right there, and that’s all I really need.
“Anything else outside of that with my family and my friends and my crew, which is my team.
“I’m not paying attention to any of you f***ers. When it goes into it, this is my fight game.”
GettyFerguson takes on TikToker Salt Papi[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
